I was sitting near two college students when I watched it. I was quite a few years their senior.
Partway through the movie I prayed, “Father, is my heart hardened? I’m not moved at all by this.”
A little later in the film I heard a very loud wailing and sobbing. I realized it was me. I bawled off and on through the movie. When the house lights came on, the ushers came in to clean up for the next show, but no one moved. I was blubbering and the college guys were trying to console me. Others were quietly weeping. The ushers stood there, not knowing what to do.
I bought a DVD of The Passion, but I’ve never played it. Maybe I will before The Resurrection comes out.
That about how my movie experience went, along with me being surprised at how it got me in the guts.
Same in theaters, here.
Total stunned silence broken only by quiet sobs here and there.
It made you get it.