O Brother Where Where Art Thou Synopsis Three convicts are on the lam in rural Mississippi and flirt with fame, fortune and failure during the Great Depression. It may not be the story one remembers from Classics 101 but, believe it or not, O Brother, Where Art Thou? has its roots solidly planted in the pages of The Odyssey, although it branches off in many directions. Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney) is a silver-tongued roué who not only has a command of the English language, he often has it begging for mercy. He makes his break for freedom still chained to two hapless convicts, the perpetually negative Pete and the perpetually dumbfounded Delmar. McGill has persuaded them to escape because he agreed to share the million-dollar treasure he acquired from an armored car and hid prior to his incarceration. Of course, McGill is actually after a treasure of a different sort. Collecting that treasure proves to be no easy feat. McGill and partners will face trials and adversity. Encountering a one-eyed hulk of a Bible salesman played by John Goodman and a trio of laundering temptresses as well as many other strange characters, our convicts must call upon whatever wits they can muster to answer each challenge. The problem is that, between the three of them, there isn't enough wit available to justify the use of a plural. On their side, however, is an abundance of good fortune. Whether it's running across George "Babyface" Nelson or singing "old timey" music into a microphone for a few dollars, fortune somehow seems to smile upon them, even if only briefly. The Message Redemption is a major theme to the film, although often irreverently discussed. Fugitives Pete and Delmar take advantage of a riverside baptism early on in the film so that their sins may be "washed away." McGill reminds them that Mississippi is apt to be a mite less forgiving than the Lord. Throughout their quest, the various obstacles they face are met and vanquished, even those that seem insurmountable. Given the limited mental resources of our convicts, this lends credence to the belief that, as in the Greek tale, a divine power was watching over them. This is not a far-fetched mythological fantasy to the Christian believer. "For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings." Job 34:21 (KJV) God, our Creator, has a personal interest in our lives and as we put our trust in Him, He will cause us to succeed in the godly desires of our heart. Scriptures Job 34:21 "For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps. Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jer 29:12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. Jer 29:13 You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart, Jer 29:14 I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. Pro 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. Salvation So many people think they need to fix themselves before coming to God, compiling the perfect "résumé" of good deeds and righteousness in order to be accepted. Thankfully, God doesn't work this way. God knows that all of our résumés fall well short of the requirements, which is why we must rely on his mercy and the perfect sacrifice of his Son for our salvation. Share the good news that eternal life comes not through achievement, but through the free gift offered by Jesus Christ. Discussion Questions:  ·Have you ever been passed over for something-a job, a team, a club, etc.? How did you feel? ·What are the requirements for getting into heaven?  ·Read Ephesians 2:8-10. Why doesn't God require that we do good works to get into heaven? Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God-- Eph 2:9 not because of works, lest any man should boast. Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. ·What are the benefits of becoming part of God's family?  ·Is anything stopping you from accepting God's free gift of salvation today? Other Topics for discussion Reconciliation Overcoming our pride or shame and making an apology doesn't always guarantee a return to normal. What's our response when someone refuses to reconcile? Be encouraged as youth to follow God's desire, bury the hatchet, and live with confidence in his forgiveness, no matter how someone reacts to an apology. Discussion Questions:  ·What's the last thing you apologized for? What happened? ·Have you ever had someone refuse your apology? How did you deal with it? ·Read aloud Matthew 5:23-26. Why is it so important to apologize for mistakes? Mat 5:23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, Mat 5:24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Mat 5:25 Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; Mat 5:26 truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny. ·What's the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation? ·Are we completely reconciled to God if someone refuses our apology? Why or why not? ·How can you respond if someone won't accept your apology? ·If someone doesn't accept your first apology, would you apologize again? Why or why not? ·Is there anyone you need to apologize to? How can you try for reconciliation? Human Value  Society does place a value on its citizens, a value that typically correlates to their bank account. This should never be the case within the church. Jesus died for every person, from the most despicably vile sinner to the most virginal saint. God values humanity enough to sacrifice his son, and we need to respond by treating all of his children with dignity and respect. Discussion Questions:  ·Who are generally considered the most valuable people in society? the least valuable? ·How do you personally decide whether a person is valuable or not? ·Read aloud Psalm 8. Why do you think God places so much value on human beings? Psa 8:1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth! Thou whose glory above the heavens is chanted Psa 8:2 by the mouth of babes and infants, thou hast founded a bulwark because of thy foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. Psa 8:3 When I look at thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast established; Psa 8:4 what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou dost care for him? Psa 8:5 Yet thou hast made him little less than God, and dost crown him with glory and honor. Psa 8:6 Thou hast given him dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet, Psa 8:7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, Psa 8:8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the sea. Psa 8:9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth! ·Does God place a greater value on some people than he does on others? Why or why not? ·How much does God's view of human value actually affect your actions toward others? Explain. ·As a ministry, how can we show all people that they have value? How can our behavior as individuals express this principle? OUR WORD TO THE WISE:  The following is a brief summary of the content found in this PG-13 rated comedy. Violence consists of people trying to harm others with machine guns and other weapons, and the threat of hangings and a lynching is also present. While no humans are harmed from that, one cow is shot and another graphically struck by a car. Other fighting also occurs. Some viewers might find some of those violent or potentially violent acts (a few of which have some bloody results) as tense or unsettling, but most are played in a comic or surreal vein. BLOOD/GORE  ·We see a cooked and skewered gopher (but beyond being somewhat charred, it's not otherwise gory or bloody). ·We briefly see some bullet holes on a cow that George  shoots with his machine gun, but it's not very graphic.  ·Delmar has some blood from his nose and mouth after being beat up. ·We see that some law enforcement officials have strung up Pete, with one of them whipping him (we see some bloody cuts through the holes in his shirt). PROFANITY  ·At least 18 damns, 14 S.O.B.s, 12 hells, 2 asses, 14 uses of "G-damn," 4 of "Jesus," 2 of "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "Oh Lord" and "Sweet Jesus" as exclamations. SEX/NUDITY  ·The three men come across three sirens singing and sensuously doing the wash in a stream. While not scantily clothed, they're not fully clothed either and some of them sit with their legs spread (nothing is seen) while wringing out their clothes and playfully letting the water drip down onto their bodies and wet, clingy clothing (one of the women shows cleavage, another shows a great deal of thigh and the camera briefly pans down one of their clothed, but wet bodies). They then sensuously run some of that wet clothing across their clothed bodies, and then caress the men's faces. ·Later, Delmar and Everett wake up separately, lying clothed but spread-eagled by the riverside. When Delmar thinks that the sirens turned Pete into a toad, one of the men comments that maybe Pete got what he deserved for "fornicating with some whore," and the other replies that the two of them were planning on fornicating with the other women as well. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE  ·A siren has Everett drink a great deal of what's presumably moonshine from a jug. ·Big Dan has a beer next to him while eating.  ·Pappy and three men with him have drinks.