Sometimes Hollywood surprises us in a good way

3 min read

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” -James 4:14-15

In the middle of the recent blockbuster, The Hail Mary Project, there’s an interesting flashback conversation that happens between the two main [human] characters.

As they discuss the complexities of the upcoming mission into space to save the world, the main character Ryland Grace (played by Ryan Gosling) engages the director of the program, Eva Stratt (played by Sandra Hüller) with a point-blank question:

“So, what do you think? You think you’re going to pull it off?”

She responds, “What, the whole thing? Yes, God willing.”

Intrigued, he says “You believe in God?”

She answers, “Beats the alternative”

The first surprise is that Stratt, an elite scientist, references a faith principle from the Bible. When she says “God willing” about the potential success of the mission, she’s indirectly quoting James 4:15 (shown above). The idea is that rather than boasting arrogantly about our plans for the future, we do well to acknowledge God by prefacing our intentions with “God willing…”

Behind Stratt’s words is the conviction that no matter how smart, sophisticated, or prepared they were, God’s favor and involvement was needed. Indeed, we are beings who depend on a good and sovereign God for our very existence. As the old sage wrote, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

The second surprise in the scene is that faith in God is presented as a better alternative than not believing in God. She said “Beats the alternative” and that was where the conversation ended. Rarely, if ever, is faith given the last word in a secular space like a Hollywood blockbuster.

In a world where atheism or agnosticism are usually presented as the only serious options for thinking people, this is a refreshing look. There are plenty of smart people, after all, who do believe in God…scientists, doctors, researchers, astronauts, engineers and the like who do what they do with a conviction that there is a God who is knowable and worth knowing.

It isn’t every day that pop culture will affirm your faith. Praise the Lord for this exceptional scene in a pretty good movie. Thanks Hollywood.

It’s a new day with God. Run with it.