The film What Dreams May Come (1998) deals with the loss of a close relative. The grieving of a woman who lost all her family is central to the movie. It is possible to trace various strategies different people use to grieve as well as cope with negative experiences. These aspects include the role of the close ones, the role of art and religions, and so on.
One of the aspects of the grieving process depicted in the movie is the support of close ones. It is clear that as longs as Annie had her husband beside her, she managed to cope with her sorrow of the loss of her children (What Dreams May Come). The couple nearly divorced, but their mutual effort enabled them to cope with their grief. It seemed that Annie managed to accept the loss of her children. Thus, the help of close ones is essential in the grieving process. This aspect is properly highlighted in the movie, and the filmmakers manage to show the positive outcome of the support.
Another aspect of being considered is the role art can play in the process of grieving. Annie used her artistic vision to express her sorrow, anger, grief, and so on. She tried to abandon negative emotions and feelings by painting various images. The filmmakers manage to show the art therapy impact quite properly. The way Annie is painting shows that the patient can forget about things that bother them for some time. However, in many cases, and especially during initial stages of treatment, the patient cannot abandon negative emotions, but may even become violent due to the feeling of helplessness and loneliness.
Importantly, another coping technique is described in the movie. Annie is trying to keep a diary, which is another common type of intervention. It is believed that revealing ideas and writing them down can enable the patient to accept the loss and move on. Nonetheless, the therapy can also have several effects. The patient may be fixed on some idea, and writing it down will simply intensify the negative emotions.
The scene where Annie is writing in her diary is very remarkable as the filmmakers tried to explain why people cannot let go. It is clear that those who lost their loved ones do not want to forget them and stick to their memories. This aspect is closely connected with the influence of religious beliefs.
Thus, Catholics believe that the soul of the human can remain on the Earth, and many may stick to this belief. They may fail to let go thinking that their close ones are still with them in some way. At that, the film does not show that religion can also help the person to live through difficult times. The filmmakers show a severe case, as many techniques did not help and often worsened the state of the patient.
On balance, it is possible to note that the film in question depicts the story of a person who tries to cope with her sorrow. The filmmakers shed light on the impact of such aspects as the support of close ones, religion, and art. he filmmakers show the way some coping strategies may affect a person who has to accept a loss of a close one. The film focuses on the power of love that can help people cope with their grief.
Works Cited
What Dreams May Come. Dir. Vincent Ward. Santa Monica: Interscope Communications. 1998. DVD.