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Amid the mess of sketchy relationships, voyeuristic bedroom romps, and lightweight philosophizing that crowds this film, there does emerge some semblance of a coherent, albeit vacuous, theme: Love is all we have. One character wonders whether "love is just a cruel trick that nature plays on us," but Bradley—who is perhaps the most love-deprived of anyone in the film—comes to the realization that "love is everything—the only thing there is." It is clear, however, that the film's definition of love is severely skewed, to the point that it is downright depressing to think that this is all we have.

Selma Blair as Kathryn and Stana Katic as Jenny

The love feasted upon in this film is not about commitment or selflessness. In many ways it is a the polar opposite of the love described in 1 Corinthians 13—the love that is patient, kind, free of envy or pride, the love that "does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth" and "always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

No, the love in Feast is very fickle and selfish. It is not patient (as demonstrated in the constant divorces in Bradley's life, or the speed with which every character seems to go from first date to cohabitation or marriage) and makes no effort to persevere. When Bradley's first wife gets an inkling that she might have a thing for women, her marriage is history. When Diana re-ignites her illicit hotel room fling just days after her marriage to Bradley, she decides marriage is not her cup of tea. Time for a quickie divorce.

Oddly, the film's cavalier attitude toward infidelity and broken relationships is displayed like a badge of honor. One of the last lines uttered in Freeman's narration is this gem: "You can't hold someone's love against them." Translation: if your spouse feels the urge to have a lesbian affair, you can't hold that against them. Love goes where it goes. Unfortunately, this is exactly why love is so very elusive in today's culture. If we treat it like an indulgent feast that is good for a while but then easily disposed of come full stomach or change of taste, we'll never experience any of its long-term benefits or nutritional value.

Talk About It

1. Compare the film with the detailed description of love in 1 Corinthians 13. Is there anything in the film's "love" that matches the biblical definition?
2. At one point Morgan Freeman says that "God is either dead or he despises us," to which Greg Kinnear replies, "God doesn't hate us … If he did he wouldn't have made us so brave." What do you think is meant by this? Do you agree?
3. Are there any examples of selfless love in the film? Which of the characters do you think has the most mature understanding of love?

The Family Corner

Feast of Love is rated R for strong sexual content, nudity and language. There is an extreme amount of sex and nudity, more than is necessary or tasteful. While the scenes of sex are ubiquitous, most are just a few seconds long, in extreme or blurry closeup, or seen from a distance. That said, the sex is everywhere, of every type (including one lesbian bedroom scene), and the film more than deserves its R rating. Add a little bit of offensive language and an odd fascination with astrology/tarot reading, and Feast is clearly inappropriate for younger audiences—and likely for many older ones too.

Photos © Copyright MGM

© Brett McCracken subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

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