Echos of Enlightenment

After seeing Echoes of Enlightenment at the Telluride IndieFest 2002 film festival, I was impressed with the professionalism, polish and general look of the film. The story was compelling and interesting and the acting was strong and convincing. I was particularly impressed with Giovanna Brokaw's performance, which although a small role in the grand scheme of the story and picture, comes across very powerfully.

Overall, the film tugged on my emotions on many levels. That's always a good sign for me, as I tend to be a bit cynical about films of this subject matter. However, it was a well-told story with very important social and spiritual messages.

If I were to offer it any criticism it would be that there are scenes that could be shorter and the overall length of the film is slightly longer than necessary. In my opinion it would be a more powerful film if time had been taken to remove unnecessary exposition that doesn't drive the story foreword. But these are such minor, nick picky issues that you would expect from a fellow filmmaker. So, I'll stop my critique at that note and close with saying it is a film worth seeing and watching.

If Echoes of Enlightenment is an example of Dan Copeland's true talent and not a `one shot wonder', he has the potential of being a great filmmaker.

The spiritual journey of Daniel Coplan unfolds much like the spiritual journey that many of us find ourselves on: Confusing, painful, humorous and inspirational, anything but boring. Echos of Enlightenment is stylistically similar to books like Robert Persig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and movies like Memento, with the philosophical weight of What Dreams May Come. If you are in the mood for a 'brainstem' evening of movie watching, Echos of Enlightenment is not the movie to see. It requires the full attention of the viewer, prompting each to reflect on the state of their current existence.

One especially 'enlightening' aspect of the film is the look at the life of a lawyer. Mr. Coplan (Director) does a particularly good job of illustrating the tedium and minutia that can (and does) drive individuals to brink of implosion. I for one will never become an attorney after seeing this movie.

Echos of Enlightenment, while not technically perfect, is a film told in a unique and interesting fashion. Its subject matter is worthy of the art of cinema and should be explored more often. Thank you Mr. Coplan. Please make more movies.

What a surprise!

A sleazy lawyer stumbles upon enlightenment!

This film is grounded in the expression of the Buddha nature. I think this is the first time the essence of Buddhism is expressed on the screen. Even if the quote from the Lotus Sutra is unrecognizable to the general audience, everyone can relate to the impact of a single life on so many others and the struggle for meaning in life.

The route to Daniel's enlightenment was laced with social commentary and humor about the mundane routine of life. The lawyer's daily trudging his cases up to the courthouse was a great motif for showing the increasing burden his life and his unraveling before he finds enlightenment. Daniel's struggle between his humanity and his dreary work is something many people can relate to. (I'm especially recommending this to my lawyer friends).

Very good actors, well cast. The direction, camera work, and editing were well done--better than many movies emerging from the independent market. (Clerks, Chuck and Buck come to mind). Visually interesting, particularly that scene where his suicide is envisioned. Powerfully presented.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to a private screening of this film. This is a moving, thought provoking film about all of us. We went to diner afterwards and its all we could talk about. For example, I thought the actress that played Mary, Daniel's wife, was dead on perfect. But others thought that Daniel and Rabi Don Carlos White Wolf were the most interesting.

It was both funny and sad and the characters were so diverse and so rich and the way they were woven around this captivating story is amazing.

It really kept you on your feet, you never knew what was going to happen next and the director ties it all together beautifully at the end.

I won't spoil the end for you, but if you have a chance to see this film, by all means see it!

PS: You may have to see it more than once to get it all!

It is one of the those films that you must see more than once. A film that has many levels, and makes you think and reflect on life. It is a journey of the soul, and a film that reminds me of a famous line from a famous play: "Most people live their life in quiet desperation."