Movie Review: The Nativity Story
New film about the life of Jesus tells inspiring story of Mary and Joseph
Gregg Tubbs, Special to The Layman Online, January 17, 2007
The life of Jesus is often referred to as The Greatest Story Ever Told. There has never been such a life – filled with majesty, wisdom and redeeming power over death. Given all that would come, it’s easy to forget that this story also has a great beginning and that the initial focus of the story is on Jesus’ earthly parents, Mary and Joseph.
The inspiring new film, The Nativity Story, puts special emphasis on their story, helping us rediscover the faith, love and courage it took for two unprepared, unassuming people to take up the mantle of divine service and safely bring the one who would later be called “King of Kings” into a dangerous, politically-charged world.
Although Christmas movies are a Hollywood staple, the story of the birth of Christ has rarely been the subject of a major motion picture. The Nativity Story comes as a bit of a surprise – even if it shouldn’t. Love it or loathe it, you can credit The Passion of the Christ for opening Hollywood’s eyes to the box office potential of Christian-themed films like The Nativity Story and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
The Nativity Story
Production Company: New Line Cinema
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Cast: Keisha Castle-Hughes, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Oscar Isaac, Ciaran Hinds, Shaun Toub
Rating: G, suitable for the whole family Because of this, The Nativity boasts some impressive, mainstream talent. Screenwriter Mike Rich previously penned The Rookie, and director Catherine Hardwicke’s earlier credits include The Lords of Dogtown and Thirteen. And in the critical role of Mary is young Keisha Castle-Hughes, the Oscar-nominated actress for Whale Rider.
To their credit, the team resisted the urge to give this story – which is so familiar and so beloved – the Hollywood “epic” treatment. Writer Rich stays close to the accounts in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and director Hardwicke chooses realism over glitz. As a result, the film succeeds in immersing us in a believable and atmospheric recreation of what first century Israel may have been like. Retelling such a well-known story presents a challenge, but rather than toying with the essential elements of the story, the film distinguishes itself through character development and deeper explorations of the political and societal tensions of the time.
We see, for example, how Mary’s family – like the rest of Nazareth – labors under the heavy yoke of both Roman oppression and the greed and cruelty of Herod, the Empire’s Jewish puppet king. Details like these add a sense of dramatic immediacy to the peoples’ prayers for the prophesied Messiah, and Herod’s obsession with securing his rule.
New Line Cinema © 2006
The Nativity Story tells the story of Mary (Keisha Castle-Hughes) and Joseph (Oscar Isaac), helping us rediscover the faith, love and courage it took to take up the mantle of divine service. The film’s greatest gift is the new life it breathes into the portrayals of Mary and Joseph, making them less iconic and more flesh and blood. By giving them distinct personalities and believable emotions, we can better relate to them and the questions and struggles they faced. What would it be like to risk ostracism and possible stoning to bear God’s child out of wedlock? Could I, like Joseph, obey the angel’s command not to divorce Mary? What does it mean to be chosen by God? How would you face the challenge of parenting the son of God? What could you teach him? How could you set a high enough example?
Castle-Hughes gives Mary a surprising gutsiness, and Oscar Isaac brings the often-neglected Joseph to the forefront as a man of courage, piety and great compassion. Christians need not worry that this film is in any way revisionist or diminishes the divine for the human.
This story originally appeared on the Web site of the United Methodist News Service. It is reprinted here by permission.