eating forbidden fruit and gaining knowledge

I don't know if it's "too obvious" in the way I think you mean it. I think it's fine to have the Adam and Eve interpretation, although it's not necessary. I don't necessarily think that you can ascribe an order to these things such that he has the allergic reaction because he regains knowledge though. But I think you can say that his allergic reaction represents his return to a grounded mental state. So I guess I don't see it as obvious like you do because I don't think the film is religiously constructed. But if you're religious, there's nothing wrong with your take on it as long as you realize that this may very well not be the intention by the filmmakers (or, it might be -- I don't know). But it could be that your perspective might be the thing that leads you to your interpretation, just as my perspective leads me to my own. For me, the film has a much more literal meaning about how we grieve and how we deal with near-death experiences (if you've ever had one, you might find some things about his reaction to the crash to be very relatable).

I don't know if it's "too obvious" in the way I think you mean it. I think it's fine to have the Adam and Eve interpretation, although it's not necessary. I don't necessarily think that you can ascribe an order to these things such that he has the allergic reaction because he regains knowledge. But I think you can say that his allergic reaction represents his return to a more grounded mental state.

But guess I don't see the religious connection as obvious like you do because I don't think the film is religiously constructed. But if you're religious, there's nothing wrong with your take on it as long as you realize that this may very well not be the intention by the filmmakers (or, it might be -- I don't know). But it could be that your perspective might be the thing that leads you to your interpretation, just as my perspective leads me to my own. For me, the film has a much more literal meaning about how we grieve and how we deal with near-death experiences (if you've ever had one, you might find some things about his reaction to the crash to be very relatable).

Thanks Skeptic36, think the forbidden fruit metaphor may well be deliberate.

Also wonder if there's a simultanous reference to the Zen enlightment parable about the man who falls off a cliff top and grasps a plant root growing out of the rock face to buy him a few more precious moments of life. As the root slowly strains to breaking point and the man contemplates his imminent fall and death he momentarily transends his own fear and instead, in his final moment, chooses to eat and savor a small BERRY growing out of the vine he's just grasped. Figure it's a Carpe Diem sort of thing that rings true to the overall themes of the movie. Any thoughts?


If only you could see what I have seen through your eyes.

Yes it's to obvious - you all need to get over yourselves.

You didn't think up the idea of forbidden fruit - this is what he calls the strawberries when he first starts eating them in the film.

The guy was obviously flirting with death because he needed to be saved.
He says this to his wife near the end - were you watching the film closely or by this time were you stroking your goatee whilst composing your comments?

The fruit was potentially deadly to him which is why it almost kills him.

I think Peter Wier and would be very frustrated to find perhaps his best film distilled into what the strawberry meant.

This is also one of Jeff Bridges' best films - beaten by The Big Lebowski perhaps?

and what does eating forbidden fruit in the bible represent