Finding Forrester

Sean Connery died today.

Born in Scotland, Connery played many important Hollywood roles. He is best known as “Bond, James Bond” of 007 fame. But that is another story.

Finding Forrester

As summer waned each year, my now-retired teacher-wife girded herself for the onslaught of the middle school students she would guide for the next nine months. Even today, a favorite activity is watching “teacher” movies. One of our favorites is Finding Forrester. While not a Christian film, the themes explored speak to the disciple-making lifestyle.

Jamal, a talented young basketball player in New York City, would rather have been known for his basketball prowess than for his proficiency with a pen. Unknown to his friends and family, Jamal had many journals hidden away. Why hidden? He did not want anyone to know what really made him tick.

Unable to hide forever, an observant astute teacher recognized that Jamal was “dumbing down” his public persona. This resulted in Jamal moving to a private school where his academic gifts would be nurtured. That was when Jamal discovered  the watcher. High above the neighborhood basketball court where Jamal’s pick up games were played, the watcher was wasting his life away in solitude. A highly acclaimed writer with just one successful novel, William Forrester (Connery) retreated from the curious questions provoked by one critically renowned novel.

Watching this movie for the “umpteenth” time, I realized that one stream of thought in the film relates to our subject of making disciples. The latent talent in Jamal would not have bloomed unless Forrester got up out of his lazy-boy, overcame his personal inadequacy fears, opened the door to his apartment, and invited Jamal inside. Because he did, Jamal became a different person. So did Forester.

The literature teacher at Jamaal’s new school assigned Forrester’s “Avalon Landing” as a reading project. Realizing that the author of “Avalon Landing” was the neighborhood recluse, Jamal asked to read some of “his stuff.” Over time, Forrester agreed to help Jamal become the writer of his dreams.

When Jamal’s own words failed to make it onto a blank page, Forrester sat him down at a typewriter (remember those?) and handed him an article he had once written about baseball. “Start typing my words until you feel your own taking over.” Tentatively Jamal began, carefully pushing each key so as not to make a mistake. “Hit the keys. Jamal, HIT THE KEYS,” Forrester bellowed. With growing confidence derived from Forrester’s opening paragraph, Jamal’s own words began to flow. What powerful and robust words they were, the kind with the potential to change lives! They did. While Jamal discovered himself for the first time, William rediscovered who he was.