Tolkien 2019

 "There is no fooling you, is there John Reynold. Let's just say that there is treasure and then there is treasure and leave it at that.”

-Mabel Tolkien


"Things aren't beautiful because of how they sound, they're beautiful because of what they mean.”
-Edith Bratt

“Language is meaning."
-Professor Joseph Wright

"It's not just the naming of things., it is the lifeblood of a culture, of a People."
-J.R.R. Tolkien

“Words are useless, modern words anyway. I speak the liturgy. There is a comfort, I think in distance, ancient things.”
-Father Francis Morgan

“May God bless you my dear John Ronald, and may you say the things that I have tried to say long after I am there to say them.”
-Geoffrey Bache Smith

God speaks the language of our hearts. I am having a difficult time expanding on that fact because in all honesty that is all of it. It is the truth that lies behind the 2019 Tolkien biopic. This fundamental truth not only elucidates Tolkien's creative core. This film offers us a glimpse into the reality that no matter where you come from you have the ability to make the ordinary extraordinary.
I want to stop the train there before it accelerates beyond this point, because we often take the lives of extraordinarily talented individuals and elevate them beyond the level of normalcy. J.R.R. Tolkien was as normal as one could be, at least in terms of his situation in life. Perhaps that is not giving him enough credit, though I believe it accurately illustrates the way he thought of himself in relation to his accomplishments.
All that to say, that Tolkien, in this filmic form of his life is taken as he was, a young man thrust into difficult and extraordinary circumstances. All of these circumstances add up to a beautiful artistic journey into the life of a renowned author. A journey that conveys both Tolkien's love of language, and the power and meaning behind the words we speak and write.
It is true that this film plays around with the chess pieces of Tolkien's life. The film does this however without any malice or forethought. It does it in a way that allows us to see more clearly Tolkien's beating heart. His love of language and how that language came to be so integral to his life. Entwined as it is in the Catholic faith that Tolkien came to cherish so deeply.
Tolkien’s life was a love story, and this film echoes that truth beautifully. Director Dome Karukoski and his entire team open a window into the life of J.R.R. Tolkien. A glimpse into love, friendship and war. When it comes to it, this film is a powerful reminder that God speaks the language of our hearts. He is just waiting for us to speak it back to Him.

Rated PG-13 for some sequences of war violence

I found Tolkien to be beautifully meaningful, engaging and thought-provoking. I hope in some way you do too.

Fun fact: I directed a short film Beren and Luthien, for my first video production class way back in 2007. The short film encompasses the love story that was so central to Tolkien's life. I hope you enjoy

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