Review of "Dinner With the Smucks"

I recently went to see "Dinner With the Smucks" and liked the message, but didn't care for some of the comedy. The message was a familiar one; we all have areas to grow and acknowledge, no matter our station in life.

The story line was of an ambitious young businessman, who set his goal to move up the corporate ladder. But, for him to move up the corporate ladder, he had to attend a dinner and bring a "smuck" (idiot). The biggest "idiot" would win a prize and the corporation would grant the promotion to the one that could "lay one over" on another human being.

In the end, the young and ambitious man learned a human lesson that no one is above growing and acknowledgment of human limitations, and human dignity. We are all human, after all. And the "idiot" learned that he could overcome the obstacles in his life if he only believed in himself.

It reminded me of the recent play I saw, "Fat Pig". Helen understood, knew and accepted her limitatons/liabilities. But, she also learned, when she lost at love, that those liabilities are still liabilities in the real business world, where image is everything. Success in both "Fat Pig" and "Dinner With the Smucks" was defined differently than "real world politics", where lying, denial, competition, vanity, and vain-glory win the honors.

Wanting to Be Somebody

I think everyone has dreams as children. But, dreams sometimes are not realistic but idealized self-worship. I think that many, not all, of the Christians I have come in contact with are desirous of making a name for themselves, which I wondered in the past, why they were Christian and wanting to be somebody.

Historically, Christians were nobodies, and even Paul acknowledged this when he said that "not many noble, not many wise, after the flesh" were called, but "he called the vain and foolish to confound the wise". I thought back then that being a nobody, meant that I was a somebody to God and to those in the family of God. I thought that all Christians would also have a "nobody complex" and not be seeking to be "somebody". In fact, ambition was a sure sign of selfishness.

But, then I learned more through experience and education and found out that I had sold out for a "myth", a "self-imagined and desired reality". I had longed to mean something to somebody all my life. I wanted to not be invisible. And I thought I had found out that I "mattered", even when I was unimportant.

Life has a way of maturing us out of our imaginings, whether they be my self deluded specialness, or another's self-grandiose "becoming a somebody".

I got tired of hearing about Leadership and wondered why everyone seemed to be interested and talking about it. I had understood my faith as one to take the low seat, to be humble, be a servant, and turn the other cheek. Every time I practiced my faith, I was bewildered by another's choice of action. It confounded and confused me, as I really thought I knew the "truth". And secretly I judged them as being hypocritical.

I think everyone, whether they had a "nobody complex" like me, or whether they were brought up to "know who they were" and were trained to actualize their potential, wants to be special and somebody. A special somebody are those in you immediate family, your extended family and your friends. And it takes a special somebody to be a special somebody to another special somebody. Take the time to be that special somebody for those you love.