DreamWorks’ Home is a Delightful Family Film

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HomeI am not generally one to recommend specific movies in this type of setting because there are so many people that like specific things from movies it is hard to make such a generalized recommendation.  With that being said I simply must recommend the DreamWorks’ movie Home for a number of reasons.  I have seen this movie multiple times now, but for some reason as I watched it with my kids tonight it just seemed to hit home a little harder.

All of the typical reasons to like a movie are definitely prevalent here.  It is a fun family movie with some really creative writing and jokes, as well as a pretty fun soundtrack.  It is also has a pretty great cast including Steve Martin, Rhianna, Jennifer Lopez, and my personal favorite, Jim Parsons from the Big Bang Theory.  They all did a great job of bringing out the best in their characters that really accentuated the movie in ways that many animated movies simply do not.

With all of that being said, there is just a really great message that I enjoyed.  As I think about it, it may be because I am so far away from “Home” right now.  As a military member I have grown accustomed to being away from family and moving regularly.  I certainly empathized with the main character “Oh” as he tries to make friends on his new planet but finds that no one wants to be friends with him.  It can be really difficult moving often and having to constantly start over.

However, they simply nail it in the movie showing how adversity can bring even the most unlikely of characters together as friends.  It is often in the midst of this adversity that we find out not only “who your friends really are”, but also forge those bonds of friendship that can never be broken.  I have been blessed with a handful of people in my career that I truly cherish as friends.  We are not close together physically but I am grateful for the experiences that we have shared that brought us together.

I also really loved the message of the importance of families that is shared.  The world is increasingly diminishing the importance of families in not only entertainment but in everyday life.  Many people only communicate with their families through social media, texts, or emails.  Even with all of the amazing technology that we have these days that can allow us to connect on a personal level, we often choose to stay disconnected.  I will confess that I am just as guilty of this at times, and I need to do better because family is the most important thing in the world.

That family may consist of the parents and siblings you grew up with, close friends, or even the people you are deployed with overseas, but what is really important is that we build those family bonds so that we understand that we do genuinely belong and that people do care about us.  It is amazing the difference it can make in someone’s life just to know that someone cares.  It is that much more important when we are separated from family, just like “Tip” in the movie because it is that love and concern that will get us through seemingly insurmountable challenges and back to the ones we love.

The odds of our planet getting invaded by a group of aliens that peacefully move us all to live in Australia so that they can take over our homes is admittedly quite remote, but it is nevertheless important that we truly understand what is most valuable in life, and that is the people we love and care about.

Comments

One response to “DreamWorks’ Home is a Delightful Family Film”

  1. John Avatar

    I enjoyed this movie too. One of the most well written movies I’ve ever seen and a great message like you point out.

    I don’t just communicate with my family through text and email. I also communicate with them on a blog.