American Gun

"Guns don't kill people, people kill people." True.

American Gun is a relatively unknown "indie" film about the issue of guns in our society, made by newcomer Aric Avelino. There have been many "social issue" films released lately (Crash, Babel, Fast Food Nation, An Inconvenient Truth, etc., etc.), and part of me is getting tired of getting preached at. Yet, the messages are important to hear. And usually the films turn out to be really good. This is the case with American Gun.

American Gun has four seperate yet interwoven storylines, all involving lives that have been altered by the presence of guns. I will briefly summarize.

Plot #1: In Oregon, a Columbine-like school massacre happened a few years ago. And who should we blame when such a horrible thing happens, the parents right? This plot follows the mother of one of the killers; how she has dealt with the tragedy and the scrutiny. I know that when Columbine happened I pointed the finger at the parents of Harris and Kleibold, yet this film gives those parents a face.
Plot #2: The cop who was first on the scene at the massacre years ago deals with his demons and with scrutiny from the public.

Plot #3: A young woman goes off to college on the east coast. She carries on the family legacy not only in school but also in working at the family's gun shop. Guns have always been a part of the family, but she feels awkward around them. But one night she and her friend have a horrifying experience. She feels scared every day, she wants to feel safe. She decides to protect herself and get a gun.

Plot #4: A principal at an inner-city in Chicago is consumed by his job. He wants to make a difference in the kids' lives. His wife and son suffer as a result of his workaholic tendancies. One of his best students carries a gun to school because he walks through some rough neighborhoods. He doesn't keep it loaded, and hides it outside when he goes to class, so he thinks its no big deal. The principal finds the gun.

This film is all about trying to put us in other people's shoes, shoes we would not normally be in. That is a noble effort. We as the viewer can begin to understand what it must feel like to be helpless, and just want to make sure we are safe. We can see that condemnation and judgment bring pain, even if we think that judgment is deserved. We can also see how guns make destruction and death so much easier. So what do we do? How do we solve this problem? I love it when one scene in a film sticks out and summarizes the work as a whole. For me that scene happened in the principal's office. The principal (played by Forrest Whitaker) stares at the ceiling, frustrated that a stain will not go away. There must be a leak somewhere because he keeps replacing the ceiling tile, but the stain seeps through time and time again. It won't go away. We tend to change the outward appearance of things and think we fixed the problem. We make laws, sign petitions, etc. etc. But the problem here is not guns, the problem is people. People are jacked up. Human nature is sinful. We are a depraved race. We can't keep changing the ceiling tiles and think everything will be better. We have to get to the root of the problem. The problem is sin, and the answer is redemption through the blood of Jesus, lest we forget. Nothing will ever change without divine intervention.

American Gun is a small and thought-provoking film that provides the audience with many interesting perspectives. The issue of gun-control is a layered and complicated one, and this film reminds us of that.