Cinema Therapy

Antwone Fisher

The movie Antwone Fisher is another opportunity to provide insight and reflection on the Human Phenomena. I have provided my responses to the following questions as viewing the movie. Please feel free to make comments in the same way you would a book discussion group.

1.What do you think the reason for the opening “ dream scene”? What does this say about Antwone’s needs? The reason for the opening dream scene is symbolic of what Antwone desires in his subconscious. This reveals his need for a family and closeness. The pancakes are symbolic that everything is going to be ok, because when his foster mom was in a good mood she made pancakes, when it was going to be a bad day she would fix eggs and grits.

2. The Navy psychiatrist, Lieutenant Commander Davenport was assigned to evaluate Antwone Fisher. What role did he play in Antwone’s life? The role of the Lieutenant Commander was to help Antwone  break down the walls he had built around himself  due to his previous abuse and feelings of abandonment.  Antwone initially presented himself as guarded in order to preserve himself from further hurt.

3. When the first meeting didn’t go well between Antwone and Lt. Commander Davenport, to whom did Antwone turn to get his needs met? Did it work? Why or why not? Antwone turned to the young lady who worked at the exchange.

4. Why do you think Antwone had a throat-clearing problem in the psychiatrist office during his third meeting?  I believe the throat clearing was symbolic of the difficulty he had with opening up to people and the emotional walls he had built around himself.

5.What happened when Antwone went back to his foster mother’s home and stood up to his demons?  The foster family was prepared to pick up where they had left off. They were in disbelief when he took his power back. The foster family was used to being in control. He was no longer the helpless child they were used to having power and control over.

6. Antwone went back to his foster families’ house in an assertive manner. What might have happened if he would have done it in an aggressive manner? If Antwone would have been aggressive then his foster mother may have not given him the name of his birth father and his purpose for making the trip may have been lost.

7. How did Antwone isolate from those he lived with? He shut those people out he lived with by burring himself in studying and reading and drawing. He chooses not to interact with those around him.

8. Why did Antwone make a big deal about his three sessions being up with Lieutenant Commander Davenport? Antwone made a big deal about his sessions being over with the LCDR because now that he has opened up and exposed his skeletons he doesn’t have the coping skills to deal with them. As a therapist or behavioral health professional it is important to remember not to open up “Pandora’s” box before the client has the coping skills to deal with the issues.

9. Because of the time Antwone spent with LCDR Davenport what was he able to accomplish?  Because of the time Antwone spent with LCDR Davenport he was able to accomplish the following:

He was able to channel his anger with positive energy. 

He was able to deal with past issues and become honest with self and others.

10. What do you think Antwone might be doing today if he had decided to stay closed up inside of himself rather than opening up to his mentor. I suspect if Antwone had not opened up to his mentor he may have found a negative way of coping such as drugs or alcohol. He would of continued to have anger issues and may of ended up in prison.

11. Do you think Antwone’s birth mother was purposefully, holding something back from him? Or did she possibly not have anything to give? Explain. When Antwone went to his mother’s house,  her personal hygiene and living arrangements were in a disarray. My intuition is that she was emotionally depleted and therefore; didn’t, have anything to give back to Antwone.  Antwone’s mother was like a bank account who is overdrawn. It was wise of Antwone to potentially recognize this and seek other individual whom are not overdrawn.

12. How did LT. Commander Davenport recommend Antwone use the energy inside of him? LT. Commander recommended Antwone channel the energy in a positive manner on things like physical exercise.

13. Do mentors have to be perfect to have something to offer? No mentors don’t have to be perfect to have something to offer. I have a variety of mentors based on the trait or skill I want to learn. It is a cognitive distortion that has the potential to cause great distress when we view people as being “ all or nothing”, all good or all bad.

14 Antwone was able to successful able to negotiate the following hurdles one step at a time, in the following order.

1.       Finding a mentor and allowing him in his life.

2.       Dealing with childhood abuse

3.       Building relationships with others

4.       Becoming honest with others

5.       Attempting to reconnect with family

6.       Living a well adjusted life

7.       Growing past others