I recently came across an interview of director Danny Boyle discussing his new movie, 127 Hours. The movie is about a Colorado rock climber who finds himself pinned by a boulder in a Utah canyon and emerges from his ordeal a changed person — physically, mentally and spiritually. What I love about Boyle, who also directed some of my favorite movies, including Millions and 2008′s Best Picture, Slumdog Millionaire, is that he wants his viewers to have a visceral reaction to the film. He wants them to feel the film, not just watch it.
The movie is not a documentary but an experience that the main character and the audience live through together. According to Boyle, the climactic scene when the hiker frees himself is a joyous and exhilarating moment for everyone.
“We’ve all got our own boulders,” says Boyle. “We don’t have to go through anything as extreme as he does, but we’ve all got those moments. And if he can do it, we can all do it.”
I agree! We can all do it. I know I have things holding me back and others do also. Maybe it’s a feeling of daily frustration that’s holding you back. Maybe it’s a feeling of ineffectiveness or not getting anywhere.
Do you have any boulders?
