Resurrection

Been yearning to revisit the 1980 Ellen Burstyn film Resurrection for some time. I recall adoring it the first go-around. Aside from a few dated parts – the music in particular, I am happy to report the film holds up well over 35 years later. Ellen plays Edna Mae, a young woman who moves back home to Kansas after a near fatal car accident which takes the life of her husband. Upon returning to her hometown, she begins to realize she has the power to heal. The entire film focuses on her embrace of the unknown defining it as the love she has been given rather than acknowledging any particular god or religion. You can imagine how well that goes over in Kansas. But Edna perseveres and even allows academics to study her power. Along the way she becomes tangled with a local preacher’s son played by Sam Shepard. The script may appear simple, but the message of a universal force of love stands strong and those of us living in 2016 could do with a shot of this ecumenical bliss in today’s religiously intrusive world. Burstyn and Shepard are easy, confident actors I could watch all day. Following their careers over the years is proof of their talent. Burstyn especially shines in this wonderful story of a woman embracing the positive in life. She easily steps into a leading role with her ability. A strong 3.5 out of 5 for Resurrection.