Mending the Line (2022): 122 minutes
Director: Joshua Caldwell
Cast: Brian Cox, Sinqua Walls, Patricia Heaton, Perry Mattfeld, Wes Studi, Irene Bedard, Tristan Thompson.
The movie explores the struggles of Colter, an American Marine dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after returning from the Afghan war. The film opens with a poignant statement: “There’s more great literature written about fly fishing than any other sport,” setting up fly fishing as a central motif. This traditional Western hobby, involving the use of artificial lures to catch fish like Salmon and Trout, becomes a crucial element of Colter’s healing journey.
Haunted by the guilt of losing his comrades and grappling with alcoholism, Colter is eager to return to the battlefield. At a veteran’s rehabilitation center, he meets Dr. Burke, who encourages him to confront his condition with a realistic perspective. Although Colter initially resists and reacts angrily to Dr. Burke’s guidance, he eventually begins to open up through his interactions with Ike, a senior veteran who frequents the center. Ike, an avid fly fisherman, becomes a mentor to Colter, introducing him to the therapeutic practice of fly fishing.
As Colter learns the art of fly fishing from Ike, he also befriends Harrison, the owner of a local tackle shop. Despite some initial friction, their bond strengthens through their shared passion.
The film also introduces Lucy, a local librarian who volunteers at the rehab center by bringing and reading books to the patients. She, too, is a wounded soul, this creates a shared understanding between her, Colter, and Ike. Each character struggles with their past traumas, but they find ways to cope with their realities. Through their collective experiences, Colter, Ike, and Lucy find ways to manage their traumas and rebuild their lives. The film ultimately highlights fly fishing as more than just a pastime; it serves as a powerful tool for rehabilitation and emotional recovery among American war veterans.
Amistad (1997): 145 minutes
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast : Morgan Freeman, Nigel Hawthorne, Anthony Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou, Matthew McConaughey, David Paymer, Pete Postlethwaite, Anna Paquin.
Spielberg’s celebrated film is based on a historical event that happened against the background of the heinous practice of slavery in the United States in the early 19th century. It is a spectacular and dramatic story that brings to focus the horrors of human slavery and also the heroic struggles put up by conscientious individuals against it. The story opens on board the slave ship Amistad in August 1839, which was carrying hundreds of Africans from Sierra Leone captured by Portuguese slave hunters and illegally transported them to the Spanish colony of Cuba. Despite the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in the U.S., Britain, and other European countries, it continued, with Havana as a central hub. On board were 53 Africans, including women, girls, and babies, bought by Spanish plantation owners. One of the captives, Joseph Cinque, led a revolt, killing the ship’s captain and cook. The surviving slave owners were spared under the promise of returning them to Africa. Instead, they deceived the Africans, sailing to New York where the ship was seized by American naval officers. This led to a complex legal battle in New England over the captives’ status. The case hinged on whether the Africans were descendants of slaves (and thus could be punished for murder) or were illegally brought from Africa (and thus could claim self-defense). President Martin Van Buren sought to extradite the Africans to Cuba, but Northern abolitionists, led by Lewis Tappan, defended the captives, recognizing the immorality of their situation. They enlisted an Afro-American interpreter to present the captives’ story in court. The case ultimately reached the Supreme Court, where former President John Quincy Adams, a staunch anti-slavery advocate, successfully argued on behalf of the Africans. Cinque and the remaining survivors were eventually returned to their homeland by Christian missionaries, marking a significant moment in the struggle against slavery and the fight for justice.
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