Going All the Way

Escaping the shackles of religious legalism

In 1954, two 24 years-old men return to Indianapolis after the Korean War (Jeremy Davies and Ben Affleck). It turns out they went to the same school, but frail Sonny was a shy writer for the school paper whereas studly Gunner was popular. They form a lasting bond as they drink and chase women (Amy Locane, Rachel Weisz and Rose McGowan).

"Going All the Way" (1997) is a drama based on Dan Wakefield’s 1970 somewhat autobiographical novel about facing the challenges of adulthood in the early 50s; he also wrote the screenplay. This happened to be director Mark Pellington’s feature film debut, who would go on to helm “The Mothman Prophecies” five years later.

Naturally, the focus is on Sonny (Davies) and his coming-of-age in his early 20s. As such, there are some adult-oriented topics, which can be cringe-inducing, often illustrated with a creative sense of humor. I’m talking about subjects like masturbation and performance anxiety. To be expected, there are also scenes involving tame nudity and sexual intercourse (just a heads up).

Three main themes are tackled. First is the friendship of Sonny and Gunner, which is akin to Barney Rubble and Fred Flintstone. For instance, the best man at my wedding would be my “Barney.” There’s something about these types of friendships that profoundly inspire both individuals and so they are lasting in nature.

Secondly, there’s the issue of sterile legalism, the religious variety, which actually isn’t genuine Christianity, but rather a lifeless counterfeit with a garnishment of Christian décor. This is what drives Sonny to atheism in the movie and Wakefield in real life. Sadly, no positive depiction of a believer is offered as a counterbalance, which was effectively (and wisely) done in movies like “The Mist” and “The River Murders.”

In regard to the ‘m’ word issue, Genesis 38:8-10 is wrongly cited since Onan’s offense had nothing to do with masturbation, but rather his...