03-09-22  the Peaceful Warrior - Universal Studios, Sobini Films 2007

inspired by true events

Dan Millman dripping sweat holding a pose on the rings, executes a decent looking dismount and experiences and unfortunate outcome, it's a dream/nightmare

he wakes and also startles the young lady sleeping next to him, it's 3:am, he can't go back to sleep so he dresses and goes out for a run, he ends-up at a service station to grab a drink, and has an odd encounter with the old-man, i won't expand on details as not to be a spoiler...

the next day opens with the men's collegiate gym (UC Berkley) team out for a run, they make few crude comments like many college folks do (military folks were the same but different in that respect)...

next scene the team's Coach is trying to convey some inspirational and challenging rhetoric to push the boys into better production and execution, he's got some decent ‘coachy’ lines (cross between cheerleader and mentor)

8:40 one of the team-mates does a decent pommel-horse routine, Coach is encouraging and motivating, then millman tries to execute a difficult dismount from rings, Coach gives him crap about trying something with so much difficulty, but encourages him to keep working hard, team mate zing's him with a 'lord of the rings' comment

next scene he pulls-up at service station with his motorcycle and want's to know how the old-timer did something seemingly impossible, he confronts him over it, he mentions 'elite warriors', explains difference between wisdom and knowledge, he talks a bunch of deep/dense philosophy in a short period of time, so far so good, the kid tells the old-timer how often he trains and 'Socrates' isn't impressed, if you don't make the olympic team what are you going to do, you must have thought about it (i recall a similar conversation with a decent mentor or two, priceless but difficult words)... crap, i'm only fifteen minutes in and i've already written too much, but i like the movie so far...

... next scene is frat-bar party, some drinking and trash talking and some drama over 'a girl', another girl hits on the kid, they end-up in suggestive scene shy of nudity, and then an unexpected thing ends the encounter

... kid ends-up back at service station talking to the old-timer, people live a lifetime without ever becoming awake, if you know so much then why are you working at a gas-station, this is a 'service station', we offer service, there is no higher purpose, service to others... 19:30 the kid sees 'Joy' for the first time, big buddah little buddah, cute... the kid and the old man eat, the kid show's interest in Joy, slow-down you might taste something, you practice gymnastics and i practice everything, so how long can you stand like this 'jack', 5 min on the table (they had us do similar 'exercises' in the army too, sometimes while holding an m-16 at full arms-length), my son jack, everyone wants to tell you how to do this and that and not find your own answers, i want you to stop gathering information from the outside and gather it from the inside... 24:40 people are afraid of what's on the inside, and it's the only place they are going to find what they need, challenges him about 'being scared' and feeling empty, you tell me that you want to be someone more than someone that gets=up on those rings and performs more than a well rehearsed stunt or two, you tell me that you want to be someone that uses his mind and his body in ways that most people won't have the courage to, and i will train you Dan, to be a real warrior

... next is motorcycle scene, some reckless driving behavior (typical young person testing the machine and it’s power)

... then gym scene where Kyle sustained an injury, kid doesn't want to admit injury, typical athletic denial and pressure (how many times do we try to ‘walk it off’), the teammates talk about the injury and opportunity for someone to step-up and take Kyle's spot on the horse, competitive behavior

... Dan is in the garage's break-room talking to Socrates, he sort of explains that he first saw opportunity rather than compassion in Kyle's injury... toss me the wrench, the five-eigths, the mind is just a reflex organ it reacts to everything, it fills your head with millions of random thoughts per day and none of them reveal anymore about yourself than a freckle does at the end of your nose... a funny slap-fest... did you notice how the right leverage can be very effective, what if i told you that's what your training, even your life is about, developing the wisdom to apply the right leverage and the right place at the right time, take out the trash, the trash is up here (points to his noggin), that's the first part of your training, learning to throw out everything that you don't need in here (head-poke), meet me on campus tomorrow at the bridge

... Dan is running, forgot about horse try-outs, asks bud to have Coach wait for him so he can meet Socrates at the bridge... can we make this quick... sure... (funny scene) hey i'm talking to you... you said you were in a hurry so i emptied-out your mind, you were present, devoted one-hundred percent to the experience you were having, you even had a word for it (funny scene)… your out of your mind you know that…gazes in agreement, it's taken a lifetime of practice… there is always something going on, there is never anything not going on... touches him and gives him hyper-focus/vigilance (i can relate to getting in the zone and being able to see multiple stories and events going on at the same time and some slow-mo, it can be pretty exhausting when you can't really control it, not being able to control it leads to a form of anxiety, that sort of hyper-vigilance is exhausting, it's like over-stimulation)… there is never nothing going on… take out the trash Dan, he teaches him about how to focus and not be distracted by noisy thoughts, nice Coaching technique, for performance/execution based focus, and as a means of staying grounded and not over-reacting to our environment--as changing as it always seems to be

... horse try-outs, where's millman, in the shower, experiencing slowed mind and hyper-focus, enters gym and executes flawlessly at horse try-outs, shocks team mates and Coach with performance

... on motorcycle pulls-up to service station, bragging about performance and calling the focus ‘a trick’, shows that he didn't appreciate the experience other than selfish motives and ego, gloating… go home, training is over for tonight (think on your sins for awhile)

... back at campus he has strange encounter/experience with Socrates in the gymnasium, climbs the rope and has a seat, helps him to 'hear' everyone's thoughts internal conversations, he's hearing everyone's negative thoughts, go home i said, what did you just to do me, some of the things i'm going to show you your going to need strength and your going to have to trust me, Dan runs away

... 45:00 back at the college bar buddy’s are joking, Dan chimes in… so this old guy did this high-jump, so i'm listening to him so i can find out how he did it… he hears his team-mate project the negative thoughts he had from the gym earlier

... he's outside and sees Joy, he approaches her and mentions Socrates, she doesn't give him specific details that he's asking about and listens to his perceptions and answers with reflective questions and statements

... back on the motorcycle at night, he's back at the service station, takes his helmet off as he looks back at the old man, they don't exchange words, but Dan is shown doing various chores around the station, sweeping, scrubbing etc.

... back at his room he denies entry to beautiful co-ed

... back to sweeping scene, bathroom cleaning, isn't happy about the labor and work

... back at the gym Coach is harshly criticizing ring performance, he concedes that he's 'off today', the next time your tired try taking a nap instead of coming to practice, team mates in background murmuring

... back at service station at night, how we doing tonight, tired hungry and horny, how r U doin'... i need some answers tonight (doubt and impatience)... when you become a warrior you learn to meditate through every action... scrubbing toilets!?...  letting go of attachments like your pride, giving up your addictions… yeah, name one thing I’m addicted to… talking, especially interrupting, knowing everything when in fact you know nothing (sounds like he’s teaching him about humility and situational awareness, paying attention)… ,ego-ish reception by Dan, I don’t have any more time for you right now… all you have is ‘right now’ jack… did you just call me a jack-ass again, then he goes on the offense with a rant… I call you a jackass when you act like a jackass, like now Dan, when you let your emotions control you… yelling response, this isn’t emotions this is common sense (too funny), you know, lemme tell ya sumtin whatever your name is, when I get what I want then I’ll be happy (motive for many actions and priorities and distractions) for real and forever and for whatever I say that I say it will be, because I will make it happen (creativity and ability to focus and exercise free-will and intelligence to bring motives and ideas to fruition, fine, but at what cost to your soul and to others around you, at what cost to others are you willing to satisfy your desired end results/goals and ambitions, but the writer did a good job of mentioning the observation through Dan's character), Dan storms out of the garage bay and takes off

 

… back at the bar, Dan returns to a night of binging/partying/drinking with the bros and gals, having a ‘happy’ night of sorts

… cuts over to a practice session on the rings with Coach doing Coachy things, Dan has a good performance, Coach celebrates/encourages

 

… cuts over to his bedroom and a gal, I needed this, I needed the escape… lucky me… yeah, lucky me, you guys are in such great shape… if i wasn’t in such great shape and wasn’t on the of the gymnastic team and just had a regular body you wouldn’t be into me? If I didn’t have this body would you be into me? He concedes, they fall to bed, next scene is in the morning, he shuts-off alarm clock with some empty beer bottles and a cup of ramen noodles on the night-stand

 

… cuts-over to driving scene, he’s driving erratically, selfishly and unsafely weaving in and out of traffic, don’t want to spoil any details but the stuntman must have had a blast with the landing, he was way up in the air and had some serious momentum (I fell from the back of a moving vehicle before and did about fifty feet worth of cartwheels, somersaults, and tuck-roles before I finally came to a halt on the asphalt, that was some nasty road-rash and abrasions and a few bumps and bruises, falling back on airborne landing techniques sort of helped, but I wish I was a trained stuntman for that particular event in my life, and I wish I had more than a bathing suit on at the time too, and wasn’t impaired from whiskey too), cool effect of broken glass as he lays on ground

 

… cuts over to hospital scene, various visitors but he’s seemingly unconscious, a similar flashback of a person sweeping-up the remnants of his leg/accident but in the hospital setting, he awakens on bed and notices his leg in a bandage, doctor offers grim prognosis, with some hard work I’m sure you’ll eventually be able to walk again

 

… outdoor scene of Dan walking down campus stairs using crutches and team running nearby, then scene in room taking pain-pills, 58:15… otdoor scene, Joy approaches Dan who is sitting under a tree, she lays hand on his chest and prays for him mentions healing power of touch, she indicates she is praying for his heart not just his leg, draws his attention to the significance of his trial, he asks her about Socrates, she tells him he visited while he was in the hospital

 

… next scene in his room, he starts messing with the rings again

 

… next scene, outdoors on campus, he approaches Coach, mentions that he is going to come-back, Coach insinuates a hell-no, Dan tells his Coach he gave up on him (people hate that),

 

… back in bedroom, Dan goes a bit bizerk, breaks a few a bunch of trophies (good, people don’t need that shit, but they are nice reminders of achieving some previous goals)

 

… tower scene, suicide in motion, some weird intervention, interesting dialog… do you know who you are without me? No… then what are you doing (still holding on to me)

 

… wakes-up in bed, as if bad dream

 

… night time, raining outside, he walks up to service station, they start working on a car, Dan is trying to start it, Socrates is under the hood, good dialog… first realization of a warior, not knowing… Dan slightly cries… what do you do if you can’t do what you were born to do? Everything has a purpose Dan, even this, and it’s up to you to find it… the car starts-up… your training can move to a new arena, an arena where you find your answers from within, that old Plymouth, sit on it, until you have something of value to tell me, I don’t hear from you until you have an insight worth sharing, and he walks away to leave Dan sitting on the car… Dan comes back with some good philosophy, even some deep peanut-butter and jelly fortune-cookie stuff… the people who are the hardest to love usually need it the most, hmmm… does eventually the rock-thing that I like to do, where you keep throwing things/rocks up in the air while you are laying on your back I could do that for hours if it weren’t so boring, but I like that game… Dan sees a couple arrive at the service station and has an epiphany of sorts… there is never nothing going on, there are no ordinary moments… Socrates smiles, welcome back

 

… next scene Socrates has him in a bar, pours some bourbon, lights a cigar, and Dan laughs in surprise… we don’t do this… there is no better, you will never be better, the same you will never be less than anyone else, [it’s not the cigar or the drinks] the habbit is the problem, all you need to do is be conscious about your choices and responsible for your actions… you chose me… they take a shot

 

… outdoor scene, the mugging… then walking home

 

… what were you thinking… that the one’s who are the hardest to love need it the most, that knowledge is same as wisdom, wisdom is doing… death isn’t a sad thing, the sad thing is that most poeple don’t live at all

 

… next scene, gym, after hours lights are dim, Dan finds some of the guys there training, he apologizes to them for not being a good friend, good amends, funny drama acting

 

… next scene Dan is sitting on couch at service station telling Socrates about his encounter with the boys… when you feel fear, use the sword, take it up here and cut the mind to ribbons, slash through all those regrets and fears and anything else that lives in the past or the future… I want to be able to do that, I think I’m ready… ready for what… devoting my life to a higher purpose… really… service to others, right, that’s going to be me now, I’ll do whatever you think that I should… alright… alright… not adding detail due to spoiler… a warrior doesn’t give up what he loves Dan, he finds the love in what he does… dramatic response, Dan reminds him he has a metal rod in his leg… a warrior is not about perfection or victory or invulnerability, it’s about absolute vulnerability, that’s the only true courage… what kind of training do you think I can do, I had an accident… the accident is your training, life is choice, you can chose to be a victim or anything else you’d like… you’re just going to ignore what happened to me… a warrior acts, only a fool re-acts… oh what if I can’t do it… well that’s a future, throw it out… well how do we start… there is no starting or stopping, only doing, I want to show you something

 

… next scene outdoors still early morning, they are walking, Socrates stops to show Dan a training area with rings set-up in the alley beside the shop… now we can really go to work

 

Switch scenes between swimming, gym training, running, more ring training in various settings, he’s getting strong again, you see him running to catch-up to Joy, some scenes to working at the shop, outdoor ring training with rain emphasis

 

… next scene in gym again, after hours and the buddies are talking smack, Dan tells them he is going to train with them tonight, Coach enters, delivers another obstacle/trial when things were looking-up for Dan… dramatic talk between Dan and Coach… you gave up on me (people don’t like that, but it can be motivational)

 

… at the service station… all of humanity shares your predicament Dan, you don’t get what you want you suffer, and even when you get exactly what you want you still suffer, because we can’t hold on to it forever… the gold is a craving, if only I had it I’d be happy, can’t you hear it in there… it’s a [motivational/desire] dream, not all dreams are bad… you don’t surrender your dreams Dan, you surrender the one thing that you never have or never will, control, accept that you don’t have control over what happened to you, that you may or may not compete in the Olympics, that you may or you may not , and that you are something exceptional either way… Dan is looking for more clarification… I told you that a warrior does what he loves… this is what I love… chasing gold, living in fear that you might fail, that’s what you love about it?... no, dreaming of standing up there, and winning this thing, of doing what has always felt like the thing like I was put here to do… gymnastics was the first thing that he was sure that he loved, he apologizes… I’m sorry, I thought I was strong but I’m not, cuz I really tried to give this whole thing up, but I can’t… Dan walks away, but makes smart decision, instead of running away again he goes up on the old Plymouth (where he can be alone with god and his thoughts, good application of energy/stubbornness)… tomorrow morning, bring your hiking shoes, I’ll bring you to a place that I wanted to show you since the first night that you walked in here, it’s a ling hike, but I think it’s finally time that you see it

 

… the next morning they are on a heavily wooded ridge talking and walking… really three… so life just has three rules?... and you already know them… paradox, humor and change… paradox, life is a mystery, don’t waste time trying to figure it out… humor, keep a sense of humor, especially about yourself that is a strength beyond all measure… change, know that nothing stays the same… hey ahhh, please tell me we are getting a little closer… now, we are here… background is beautiful countryside, woods with a rolling green meadow (or maybe the third hole at the local golf course)… it’s what I wanted to show you… the view?... no, right there next to your foot… the rock… Soc makes the point that the rock isn’t a big deal because it was the anticipation of the goal which motivated and excited him, it was his expectation of ‘being happy’ that led to his let-down, he was teaching him that it’s the journey that counts, not the desire to be happy as a goal, maybe… sorry you’re not happy anymore… the journey, the journey is what brings us happiness, not the destination… he stares down at the rock in his hand

 

… next scene Dan walks into the crowded gym, the Coach calls him but he walks past him defiantly removing his hoodie, the Coach encourages him to refrain from exercising, Dan chalks-up and takes the rings, he executes an impressive routine and Coach smiles

 

… next scene outdoors, Joy is running and he catches-up to her, Dan expresses attraction/appreciation of her

 

… next scene Dan is in van driven by Coach, the team is on their way to finals, they stop at the service station so Dan can introduce the team to Soc, but he’s gone with no sign of him, a new guy is working at the station… Dan get’s back into the van… so where is your secret weapon… I dunno… they drive off

 

… next scene at competition gym, big crowd, judges, announcers, the whole big shin-dig… Dan counsels his team-mate… he has good advice for his buddy, clear your head of distracting thoughts and just be you… his buddy expresses his desire to be happy from competing/executing well… Dan is called to the rings, he executes his routine well and the crowd goes wild… they cut over to a few closing statements, and Dan married Joy – the end