The Way of the Peaceful Warrior Movie Review PDF

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Summary

Movie Review for the Way of the Peaceful Warrior. I selected this movie to review because I thought it had many of the life coaching principles we studied....

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MOVIE REVIEW

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The Way of the Peaceful Warrior

Ray McCarver School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University

Author Note Ray McCarver I have no known conflict of interest to disclose. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Ray McCarver Email: [email protected]

MOVIE REVIEW

2 Abstract

This is a movie review of the film The Way of the Peaceful Warrior. It was selected because it has a strong coaching theme. The movie is about a college gymnast who is obsessively driven to achieve his goal of winning a gold medal. His dream is cut short when he is severely injured in a tragic accident. Doctors told him he would never compete again. He encounters a man who would introduce him to life changing principles call the way of the warrior. The film provides an opportunity to see life coaching principles being utilized. I connected with the movie both on a personal and professional level, identifying much of myself in the protagonist's character. Keywords: Movie review, warrior, coaching

MOVIE REVIEW

3 The Way of the Peaceful Warrior The Review

Before starting this program, I would have defined coaching by how it related to team sports, e.g., football, basketball, soccer, etc. There are many movies to choose from with coaching themes tied to team sports, such as Hoosiers, Coach Carter, and Remember the Titans. However, according to Webb (2019), life coaching practices are counterintuitive. So, I searched for a movie that I thought represented a person influencing someone's life in a positive way outside the typical team sports coaching genre. I decided on the film The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, directed by Victor Salva, starring Nick Nolte, Scott Mechlowitz, and Amy Smart (Salva, 2006). In the movie, Dan Millman is an obsessively driven college gymnast whose singular focus is winning a gold medal in the upcoming Olympics. Attending the University of California, Dan is an overachiever in everything he does, whether grades, girls, or his passion for gymnastics. Anything or anyone is expendable in his effort to reach his goal. The only thing he suffers from is a recurring nightmare that makes for troublesome sleeping. On one of the nights, he goes on an early morning run and stops at a gas station at 3 am. Here he meets the attendant/ mechanic, a man who he refers to as Socrates. There is something about Socrates' calm demeanor that makes an impression on Dan, and he returns the next night. On the outside, Dan breams with confidence, but on the inside, his mind is troubled. As they strike up a relationship, Socrates points out the Dan has kept his body in great shape, but he needs to work on his inner self. He can start by "taking out the trash" inside his head (Salva, 2006). Dan starts working part-time at the station, learning the way of the warrior from Socrates. Besides performing menial tasks like cleaning toilets, Dan is put on a strict regimen of

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abstinence to include alcohol and sex. Dan's adherence to this regimen does not last long, and soon he returns to his old ways. All seems well until strategy strikes, and Dan is severely injured in a motorcycle accident. Lucky to be alive, the doctors tell him he will never compete as a gymnast again (Salva, 2006). Dan refuses to accept this. His whole perception of self, worldview, and dreams are tied to being a world-class gymnast. Now he is ready to indeed turn himself over to Socrates and his way of the warrior. His struggles seem impossible, but he perseveres, adhering to the tenets of Socrates' philosophy. Dan's time with Socrates ends with a final hike in which Dan learns it's not the destination but the journey that counts. The result is that Dan and his Cal team won their first National title (Salva, 2006). Coaching Implications I believe this movie would be beneficial for everyone, but especially for those who seek assistance from a life coach. According to Dunbar (2010), clients come to life coaches because they want to get somewhere different from where they currently see themselves. That "somewhere different" is known as the goal (p. 42). For Dan, the goal is clearly defined, winning a gold medal in the Olympics. After the accident, Dan's dreams appear shattered. However, he turned to one person who believed in him, Socrates. Without naming it, Socrates had Dan follow the GROW model. The Goal was clearly defined. Dan's "Reality now" was undeniable, understood, and accepted. Along with Socrates, he worked to explore and identify Options available. Dan's Will was palpable. Socrates had no problem getting a commitment Dan. Through the process, Socrates emphasized the importance of mindfulness and living in the moment.

MOVIE REVIEW

5 Personal/ Professional Implications

The movie connected with me. On a personal level, I could see much of myself in Dan. Although not a world-class athlete, I possessed the arrogance, single-minded focus, and belief that the world revolved around me. The outwardly confident disposition, as well as the inner agitation. For me, it was not one horrific accident but a slow-moving train of events starting with my military retirement that God used to get my attention. Much like Dan, I am learning through God's grace and recovery that it is the journey, not the destination, that is important. In Socrates and Dan's relationship, we see a model of a coach and client. One of the most critical coaching lessons I learned from the movie is that the GROW model is very versatile and can be tailored to meet most clients' unique needs. Each client is an individual whose goals may not be clearly defined or have difficulty accepting their current reality. However, the framework can be tailored to suit most needs. I intend to utilize the lessons learned both personally and professionally. In LIFC 501, we had an assignment to develop a coaching plan for two transitions. I chose retirement and addiction recovery. I believe Dan's accident is a metaphor for people struggling with adapting and overcoming both.

MOVIE REVIEW

6 References

Dunbar, A. (2010). Essential life coaching skills. Routledge. Salva, V. (Director). (2006). The Way of the Peaceful Warrior [Movie]. Universal Pictures. Webb, K. E. (2019). The COACH Model for Christian leaders: powerful leadership skills for solving problems, reaching goals, and developing others. Morgan & James Publishing....