In The Simpsons Movie, there is a funny and profound moment when Grandpa Simpson has a frantic and prophetic religious experience, and Homer is asked to do something about it. He flips through the pages of the Bible and says, “This book doesn’t have any answers.” For people who read the Bible as a straightforward uncomplicated text where God clearly expresses Himself, this joke may sound blasphemous, but for those who study the Bible and understand that reading not only the Bible but also any text is an act of interpretation, this joke points to an important fact. Any answers one gleans from the Bible is an act of interpretation and interpretation is brimming with complexity and context that may not always be recognized by the interpreter.
The problem with many faith-oriented films is that they seem to be written and produced by those who think the Bible and its message is simple and clear rather than by those who understand that reading and living out the text is a complicated act of interpretation without easy prepackaged answers. Gun and a Hotel Bible is a rare instance of a faith-oriented film that acknowledges the complexity of making sense of the Bible and the complexity of the people who have to determine what to make of the text.
“And Rocky Raccoon Checked into his hotel room only to film Gideon’s Bible”
The plot of Gun and a Hotel Bible is inspired by the Beatles’ song “Rocky Raccoon” and follows a similar plot trajectory. The story focuses on Pete (Bradly Gosnell), who checks into a hotel room with the intention of waiting for his ex-wife and her partner to arrive so that he can kill his rival. While in the room, he finds a complimentary Bible that anthropomorphizes into Gideon, or Gid (Daniel Floren). Gid and Pete argue about God, theology, and ethics as Pete wrestles with whether to carry out his mission or not.
The centerpiece of the film is the dialogue between Pete and Gid. Though the film does provide commentary on the fact that the Bible is an interpreted text and is always in the process of interpretation, the film does not add any new or interesting arguments in defense of the Bible and the beliefs associated with it or for the counter-arguments to the text. Though the film ends ambiguously and attempts to be more complex than most faith films of this type, it still falls into the binary of most faith films. By setting up the binary at the beginning of the film between a protestant Bible with a lot of evangelical interpretations and a man about to commit a violent act if he does not reconsider his relationship with God, it still presents a narrative conducive to Christian thought of there only being one way rather than fully delving into the complexity of faith, doubt, and the question of what is a good life. If faith films are to be believed, all people without faith are monstrous, and this film is no different.
From Stage to Film
Gun and a Hotel Bible was originally a stage production, written by the two leads of the film, Bradley Gosnell and Daniel Florin. The film in many ways functions like a filmed stage production. Most of the action of the film is in a single hotel room, and the action progresses through the performances of Gosnell and Florin as they engage in a dialogue about faith. Directors Alicia Joy LeBlanc and Raja Gosnell (Smurfs, Big Mamma’s House, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, and Never Been Kissed) cut the film together smoothly, but the production feels like it would be better served on stage because the setting and action of the film is so limited. Many stage productions do not translate well to film and the faults in this film can be attributed more to that phenomenon than anyone involved in the production of Gun and a Hotel Bible.
Conclusion: Gun and a Hotel Bible
Although I applaud the moments of complexity in this film and its willingness to acknowledge that the Bible is a text that is constantly being interpreted and debated without an arbiter with an absolute interpretation, the film still falls into many of the same traps as other faith films by simplifying the philosophical choices down to a binary. In some ways, this film is a step forward for Christian cinema. My hope is that other people in the faith film industry will watch this film, appreciate its ambiguity, and then watch the films of Ingmar Bergman and Andrei Tarkovsky. With the influence of Bergman and Tarkovsky, I believe Christian films can be transformed into an art that might actually be appreciated by more people than just those who have already accepted the message of Christianity. If that happens, these films might inadvertently make a convert, which was the goal all along.
Have you seen Gun and a Hotel Room? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!
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