Everything is Illuminated - 6

This film by Liev Schreiber follows an American Jew as he goes to the Ukraine to look for those that rescued his family from Nazi invaders. The main character, Jonathan is played by Elijah Wood, and he is a collector of historical items form his families history. He makes contact with a man who does tours of the Ukraine for American's, his grandson is the translator (and also the narrator of the film). There are subtitles to the Ukrainian parts, which actually make some of the dialogue funnier, since the translator filter's what is actually being said. The film is ultimately about how everything is illuminated and makes sense when we understand the past. When we are able to make connections between events we are able to further understand the meaning of things and the meaning of our own lives. The film uses an interesting technique where the film starts off very funny and lighthearted and develops through the events into a very serious and dark film. This is a very real process when we move from an ignorant stance toward reality and when we start to see reality for what it is. This is not to say that we should all be pessimists and cynics, but rather that what is illuminated gives us the chance to answer the call to be responsible and work toward change that will improve life and relationships.