As with all movies on this website, our goal is not to provide a complete synopsis of the film, but rather to document how the movie relates to the meaning of life. With that said, be forewarned, there are still spoilers ahead.
Interwoven was a movie which first premiered in 2016, and was directed by V.W. Scheich. The film tells the tale of how the lives of 13 individuals connect and affect each other. It is also a story about what is meaningful in life, and how often we don't realize what we have until it is gone. Or according to the synopsis on Amazon: Inspired by true stories of people struggling with love, loss, addiction, homelessness, and suicide, Director VW Scheich weaves together 13 captivating stories to create one compelling tale of how strangers can impact our lives in unimagined ways, thus revealing the fragile ties which bind us all as everyone searches for their meaning of life.
The main character and narrator is Otis, played by Myles Cranford. He is married to Barbara, played by Mo'Nique. Interwoven opens with Otis stating, You don't know what you have until it's gone. That's when you miss it the most. The job, the car, the house, the wife, and I bet even your life. Of course when you lose that, most people don't get a second chance at it.
Otis having been married to Barbara for some time, forgets to treat her with respect and takes her for granted. Then he cheats, gets caught, gives her venereal disease, and gets thrown to the streets. Homeless, he wonders around feeding pigeons and having interesting soliloquies. Barbara however is also no angel, as she once tried to poison her husband to kill him. Later, Otis opens a segue into how lives are interwoven which sets the premise for the story to unfold, We all play parts in each other's lives, and you never really know how small or large your part will turn out to be.
This is where things get interesting. Otis, by cheating on his wife, causes a chain reaction affecting others. Barbara driving drunk kills another character's cat, and later while working at a suicide hotline center, while drunk, tells another character Luke, who ironically cheated on his girlfriend to kill himself. This, in turn, causes Luke to go to a bridge (one that Otis just so happens to be at) climb up the rails... before Otis speaks. Luke, thinking that he hears the voice of God pauses, only to realize it is just Otis, a homeless man on the street looking for a conversation. The two begin to converse, and Otis reveals to him how God is what keeps him going. Luke, not much for religion still listens, and hence suicide is averted.
Earlier in the film, Otis noted while homeless and watching others pass him by, It seems everyone has a purpose, a place to be. Another character, Takashi, while consoling someone on the loss of a family member states, In my culture, we honor the person's passing into the next world by remembering and how they live, what they love, what gave them joy. These are the things we cherish.
Although we are not covering in full the 13 stories, each character in some way, in some sense searches for meaning. Whether it is because of a family death, love lost, being a cheater, moving to a new city, not being able to pay the rent—they all look for a reason to continue. That is the brilliancy of Interwoven. Although many movies focus on how our lives are connected, this is the first one that I've come across that examines how humanity's meaning and purpose are intertwined.
In the end, Jean Ward is referenced, who is the only known "suicide" survivor from a bridge in Pasadena (one which has claimed over 100+ lives). Except, it wasn't a suicide. You see, Jean was just three years old during the Great Depression. Her mother wanting to save Jean from a miserable life tosses her off a bridge. Shortly thereafter, her mother followed. Jean survived thanks to trees slowing her descent; her mother was not so fortunate. The story is a perfect fit, the perfect ending giving us the perfect lesson on life.
Movie rating:
Overall - 7
Meaning of Life Relevance - 6
Uniqueness – 5
Did you see the movie? What did you think?