This Means War – Movie Review
Review by Stacey Tuttle
It’s not like I was expecting very much—I mean, the preview looked silly to begin with. In fact, I only went because a friend asked me to join her. I prepared myself to put aside my logical “they can’t do that” or “they wouldn’t do that” nature and just enjoy the over-the-top action and silliness. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to even do that because the movie was so entirely crass and foul (at least as far as my friend and I saw it). I wouldn’t even dignify it with a review, except for this one little nugget…
So, Lauren (Reese Witherspoon) begins to date two guys, simultaneously. Unbeknownst to her, the guys happen to be best friends and CIA undercover agents. It becomes a fierce competition between the men while Lauren struggles to decide who she should choose.
Lauren has a ridiculously vulgar best friend who generally has nothing good or useful to add to the conversation. Surprisingly enough though, her one moment of brilliance is probably the only shining spot in the entire movie. She advises Lauren, “Don’t choose the better guy. Choose the guy who’s gonna make you the better girl.”
I don’t want to get too deep into the issue of not choosing the “better guy.” Obviously, this could be taken to extremes. Some could argue that their abusive boyfriend, while not the better guy, is making them a better person by making them a more loving, patient, forgiving person. That would be ridiculous logic, though. It’s never good to choose a bad guy (or girl).
That being said, the second part of that advice does merit some consideration: “Choose the guy who’s gonna make you a better girl.” My dear friend told me that the best advice she ever got on dating/marriage was from a professor in her Christian college. He said she should choose a guy who would help her get closer to Jesus. That’s pretty good advice! Anyone who helps you become closer to Jesus will by proxy be helping you to become a better person. In fact, the only way to truly become a better person—not just do better things, but truly become a better person, on the inside—is to become closer to Jesus.
Of course, this was specifically dealing with romance, but we would do well to apply it to our friendships, at least our closest friendships. It would also be a good thing to ask ourselves if we are that kind of person for others—the kind of person who makes others better, just by being around us.
Prov. 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
Questions for Discussion:
- How different would your past dating life look if you had only dated people who made you a better person and/or made you more like Christ (assuming you can separate those two things)?
- How would it affect your future if you decided to follow that advice?
- Would your friends (and/or your boy/girl friends) say that you are that kind of person in their life? That being around you makes them better, makes them more like Christ?
- Who are the people in your life that make you want to be a better person?
- Would you say the majority of your close friends are “iron” and they sharpen you and make you better? Or, are they the kind of people that make you feel better about yourself by comparison and ultimately allow you to be comfortable just as you are without helping you become a better version of yourself?
Click here to see Quotes from This Means War.