Faith's Warning: Don't Look Up!

The 2021 film Don't Look Up explores the fallibility and strength of faith through its characters. The film's antagonist, President Janie Orlean, is obsessed with her polling numbers and mid-term elections, and her faith in herself and her victory is what ultimately condemns the Earth. On the other hand, Yule, a skater, is the only genuinely faithful figure in the film. Yule's faith is quiet and personal, and he is never pushy about his beliefs. While Yule's faith is rewarded in a tragic fashion, President Orlean's misplaced faith leads to her demise. The film's treatment of faith highlights the importance of faith as something deep, personal, and thought-over, rather than something to be targeted, elevated, or weaponized.

The film's sympathetic portrayal of a Christian character

The film "Don't Look Up" offers an interesting portrayal of a Christian character, Yule, played by Timothée Chalamet. Yule is presented as a sympathetic and positive character, and his portrayal has been interpreted as an olive branch to Christians, specifically evangelicals, who care about environmental issues.

Yule is a young Christian with an evangelical upbringing who has found his own way to faith. He is shown to have a deeply personal connection to his faith and prays openly multiple times throughout the film. Notably, he is never pushy about his beliefs and is unperturbed when others do not share them. His belief is not about gaining material wealth or power but is instead a sincere plea for forgiveness, love, and guidance from a higher power.

In a film filled with flawed lead characters, Yule stands out as almost saintly. His calm and perspective, especially during the chaotic ending, bring comfort to Dr. Randall Mindy's largely non-religious household. Dr. Teddy Oglethorpe, another likeable character, even compliments Yule's "church game".

The inclusion of Yule's character and his positive portrayal can be seen as an invitation to evangelicals to join the environmental movement. Director Adam McKay added Yule's religious element after co-producer Ron Suskind asked him, "Where's faith in this movie?". Yule's prayer scene, in which he asks for grace, forgiveness, and love, is one of McKay's favourite moments in the film.

Overall, the film's sympathetic portrayal of Yule, a Christian character, can be interpreted as an attempt to bridge the divide between environmentalists and evangelicals, showing that the two groups may have more in common than previously thought.

The contrast between performative and genuine faith

The film "Don't Look Up" explores the contrast between performative and genuine faith. On the one hand, we have President Janie Orlean, who exemplifies performative faith. She is obsessed with her polling numbers and brushes off the scientists' warnings about an asteroid heading towards Earth. Her faith is in herself and the life she has created. She flaunts indisputable facts and embraces the "Don't Look Up" philosophy to further her own goals. On the other hand, we have Yule, a street-punk skater played by Timothée Chalamet, who represents genuine faith. Yule has a deeply personal connection to his faith and prays openly throughout the film. His belief is not about gaining material wealth or power but is a sincere plea for forgiveness and love. He is unperturbed when others do not share his beliefs and is never pushy about them. The film highlights how performative faith, like that of President Orlean, can lead to chaos and widespread pain, while genuine faith, like that of Yule, can provide peace and tranquility in the face of uncertainty.

Performative faith is often motivated by self-interest and a desire for personal gain. It is used as a tool to manipulate others and achieve earthly goals. In the case of President Orlean, her performative faith leads to disastrous consequences as she prioritizes her political image and wealth over the safety of her constituents. Her unwavering faith in herself and her ability to control the narrative ultimately results in the destruction of the planet.

On the other hand, genuine faith, as demonstrated by Yule, is deeply personal and spiritual. It is not about gaining external validation or material possessions but about finding inner peace and connecting with a higher power. Yule's faith provides him with comfort and guidance during chaotic and uncertain times. Even in the face of death, he remains steadfast in his beliefs and finds solace in his final prayer, surrounded by loved ones.

The film also touches on the role of faith in society and how it can be used or misinterpreted. While President Orlean uses faith as a political tool, exploiting religious language to further her agenda, Yule's faith is personal and non-judgmental. He keeps his faith private, asking Kate, played by Jennifer Lawrence, not to advertise it. This contrast between the public, performative faith of President Orlean and the private, genuine faith of Yule is a subtle yet powerful message in the film.

The importance of faith as something deep, personal and thought-over

The film "Don't Look Up" offers an interesting take on faith, highlighting the difference between performative and genuine faith. The character Yule, played by Timothée Chalamet, embodies the latter, providing a calm and thoughtful perspective on faith. Yule's faith is deeply personal and rooted in his own experiences, rather than the approach his parents forced on him during his youth. He never pushes his beliefs on others and his prayers are sincere pleas for guidance, mercy, and love.

In contrast, the character of President Janie Orlean, played by Meryl Streep, represents performative faith. Her faith is in herself and the life she has created, ignoring indisputable facts and flaunting her refusal to believe in the impending doom of a comet heading towards Earth. Orlean's faith is self-serving and mercenary, using her position of power to manipulate others into following her.

The film's treatment of faith is subtle but powerful, emphasizing the importance of faith as something deep, personal, and thoughtfully considered. Yule's faith brings him peace and comfort, even in the face of tragedy, while Orlean's misplaced faith leads to chaos and destruction. This dichotomy serves as a reminder that faith can be a source of strength and tranquility when it is genuine and rooted in self-reflection.

The film also explores the role of faith in a distracted and disoriented world. In a society obsessed with social media, pop culture, and political posturing, the message of faith can be easily drowned out. "Don't Look Up" challenges pastors, church leaders, and Christians to find ways to communicate the gospel effectively in a culture that often trivializes and ignores urgent and significant messages.

Overall, "Don't Look Up" offers a nuanced portrayal of faith, highlighting the importance of thoughtful and sincere faith while critiquing the dangers of performative and self-serving religious displays.

The use of faith as a political tool

The 2021 film "Don't Look Up" explores the fallibility and strength of faith through the contrast between two characters: President Janie Orlean (Meryl Streep) and Yule (Timothée Chalamet). While the film largely focuses on the failures of modern culture and the lack of belief in scientific truths, it also highlights the difference between performative faith and genuine faith, and how they can be used as political tools.

President Orlean is the closest thing the film has to an active antagonist. Initially, she brushes off warnings from scientists about an asteroid headed towards Earth, prioritising her polling numbers ahead of the mid-term elections and the continued survival of her constituents. However, when she discovers that she can be perceived as a hero for stopping the asteroid, she embraces this opportunity. Later, when people begin to doubt the asteroid's existence, she champions the "'Don't Look Up' philosophy" to further her own goals. Orlean's faith in herself and her relentless pursuit of victory ultimately lead to the condemnation of the Earth. Her weaponisation of faith, along with her refusal to acknowledge indisputable facts, becomes a political tool to manipulate others into following her agenda.

In contrast, Yule, a street-punk skater, embodies genuine and quiet faith. Although he was raised in an evangelical household, he has since found his own personal connection to God. Throughout the film, Yule openly prays multiple times, but he is never pushy about his beliefs. His faith is not about gaining material wealth or power but is instead a plea for forgiveness, love, and guidance. While Yule's faith does not provide him with an escape from the impending doom, it brings him peace and allows him to face his final moments with courage and acceptance.

The treatment of faith in "Don't Look Up" serves as a commentary on the use of faith as a political tool. On the one hand, we see how misplaced faith and the manipulation of others' beliefs can lead to widespread chaos and destruction, as exemplified by President Orlean. On the other hand, Yule's personal and non-pushy faith provides him with solace and strength during times of crisis. The film suggests that faith, when used as a political tool, can cause chaos and pain, but when approached deeply and thoughtfully, it can offer acceptance and tranquility in the face of uncertainty.

The role of faith in the face of impending doom

The film "Don't Look Up" explores the role of faith in the face of impending doom, with a focus on both performative and genuine faith and how they are utilised. The film's antagonist, President Janie Orlean, embodies performative faith, prioritising her political image and personal gain over addressing the impending comet set to destroy Earth. Her unwavering faith in herself and her agenda ultimately leads to the condemnation of Earth.

In contrast, the character of Yule, a skater who reconnects with his faith, represents genuine faith in the film. Yule's faith is personal and quiet, and he never imposes his beliefs on others. His prayers are not for material wealth but for forgiveness, love, and guidance. This genuine spiritual connection is ultimately rewarded, as Yule finds peace and solace in his final moments, surrounded by loved ones.

The film highlights the dangers of misplaced faith and the power of quiet, personal faith in the face of impending doom. Yule's faith provides him with courage and acceptance, allowing him to face the end with tranquility and peace. The film suggests that faith can be a source of comfort and strength when faced with the unknown and inevitable.

Additionally, the film also touches on the theme of spiritual apathy, with many characters too distracted by social media, politics, and entertainment to fully grasp the urgency of the situation. This reflects the challenge faced by those trying to share an important message, such as the gospel, in a culture filled with distractions and apathy.

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