Difficult Questions
While the first film navigated themes of beauty, capitalism, and value, the second film pivots a bit—asking instead: How can we live authentically in the real world? How can we “keep it real”? While Lydia Deetz’s ideal of peacefully coexisting with both the living and the dead seemed to have been realized at the end of the first film, the second film begins with Lydia capitalizing on her paranormal abilities: the very thing she spoke out against as a teenager. It appears the bubble has popped.
Now a mother, Lydia is trying to deal with the realities of being a responsible adult. She no longer has the leisure of sticking to her principles. Her daughter Astrid, however, is anything but appreciative. The fact that her mother can see all the ghosts except that of her father, who died before the film began, has shaken Astrid’s faith that ghosts are even real. Astrid begins the movie by facing the hard question: If her mother says one thing, but does another, then how can she trust her mother’s integrity at all?
One reason that many are drawn to Halloween, goth subculture, and films like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is because all of these things do confront hard questions while keeping the mood light. All but a blessed few know the feeling of being out of place—knowing something is deeply wrong but not knowing what to do about it. If friends and family refuse to acknowledge something is amiss, this often leads to feelings of invisibility and isolation. In turn, these feelings often lead us to asking big questions: What is life for? and, How does my life compare to that purpose? Media like the Beetlejuice franchise use humor to open the door and create a positive space for our emotions to breathe. Even if we don’t “get to the answer,” just asking these questions is a great start.
Relationships & Meaning
The closest that either film comes to an “answer” to the purpose of life is an implication that spending time with the people we love is the key to a fulfilling life. Death can happen suddenly to anyone, and even though Lydia is blessed with the ability to see the dead, it is still important for her to spend as much time as possible with those she loves while they’re still alive. Lydia tries to connect with those around her—whether those people are the Maitlands (1988) or her immediate family (2024)—in order to make the most of her life. Lydia loves authentically because she seeks to live authentically.
While we are called to love one another (Matthew 22:37-40), and there is no doubt that loving others is a part of living well, to say that the purpose of our loving others is so that we can live a fulfilling life leaves too many loose ends. Simplifying life in this way focuses too much on the individual. This kind of love leaves the relationship vulnerable to both boredom and betrayal. All relationships go through high and low points. If we find our identity and purpose in loving someone, then these low points have the potential to rock the very foundation of the relationship or even our lives. While there are definitely cases where a relationship should end—such as when Rory reveals that he only proposed to Lydia to use her for fame and fortune—there are also occasions where the perceived betrayal need not be the end. Ultimately, even the ones most deserving of our trust will fail us sooner or later—intentionally or unintentionally. Forgiveness is an essential part of having a right relationship with others. After all, not every person who fails a friend is toxic.
We are called to love our neighbor not for the sake of ourselves, but as ourselves (Leviticus 19:18). This means that our love should not keep any record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:5, NIV), but rather should cover all offenses (Proverbs 10:12). While there are still consequences for wrongdoing, love does not seek vengeance—it seeks reconciliation. This includes when people fail us, even when they betray us. Love should not be a means to the end of “keeping it real”—love is keeping it real. To love authentically is to live authentically (not the other way around), and most of the conflict in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is caused by love twisted by ulterior motives—whether those motives are to get rich, get alive, or get good.
Keeping it Real
So how can we all “keep it real”? It is easy to say that we should love each other—and that is exactly the kind of answer some people will roll their eyes at, claiming that this answer does not face reality. However, this reaction is not truly a reaction to the statement that we ought to love each other as Christ has loved us (John 13:34). Rather, it is a reaction to the leaders who give such statements. When a leader says one thing but does another, is it really surprising that no one trusts what they claim?
Remember that the film begins with Lydia selling out juxtaposed with her fractured relationship with Astrid. The message is clear: their relationship is breaking down because Astrid is questioning her mother’s integrity. Although at the end of the movie Lydia quits her paranormal career in order to spend more time with Astrid, this does not ultimately solve the issue of distrust existing in the relationship. This surface reconciliation is a good opportunity for them to improve the relationship, but this opportunity only comes because Astrid realizes she has the facts of life (and death) wrong—not because she and her mother stop having flaws. If Lydia and Astrid continue to look for fulfillment in their love for each other, they leave the relationship vulnerable to being destroyed again the next time one of them fails or betrays the other. If Lydia and Astrid really want to improve their relationship, then their trust needs to be based on something beyond the other person’s perfection—otherwise, the cycle will likely continue into Astrid’s adulthood and her own motherhood.
Parents are the natural leaders of their children, and when a child sees a parent acting contrary to their own words, this leads to lack of trust and—at worst—feelings of isolation and deep disorientation. Leaders have the opportunity to reflect God’s love into the world by practicing radical self-giving, exemplified first by our Lord. The point of such relationships is not for the sake of the leader—be they a parent, teacher, pastor, mentor, or boss—but for the sake of the beloved. And when those leaders fail to adequately love those around them, they should not pretend that they succeeded. Pretending in this way indicates that the true purpose of the relationship is for the leader’s pride or fulfillment. Accurate self-reflection and admission of wrongdoing is a necessary part of Godly love. And when we make it part of our practice to humbly admit when we have failed, then not only will we love others better, but they also will learn how to love, too.
By Elizabeth Ji