Transformed: Reflections in a Post 9/11 World in Wim Wender's Land of Plenty

In the aftermath of 9/11, few movie makers have presented a depth of perspectives better than director Wim Wenders in 'Land of Plenty'. With a subtlety reflective of the true nature of human relationships, Land of Plenty is a quiet yet powerful commentary on the state of post 9/11 America.

Lana (Michelle Williams) is an idealist with a worldly perspective derived from her missionary parents and her humanitarian work around the globe. The death of her mother sends Lana on a journey to find her uncle and repair the long torn relationship between the siblings.

Uncle Paul (John Diehl) lives with deep emotional wounds from his tour in the Vietnam War. The traumas he sustained remained suppressed until the attacks on New York City dug into his psyche and reawakened the fears and sorrow he had buried for so long.

His personal turmoil manifests in an obsession with terrorist activities and his private quest as America's defender. His days are an endless compilation of fear based endeavors where from an old van Paul monitors the poverty stricken streets of Los Angeles. Every Middle Easterner is a suspect, every event is a conspiracy and everything is recorded as evidence.

His niece's return to her homeland has brought hope to the very people her uncle distrusts. With an absence of prejudice and a strong religious faith Lana lives and works in an inner-city mission. Where Paul sees aggression, Lana sees abuse. Where Paul sees criminals, Lana sees people.

Lana's attempts to contact her uncle are denied, as were her mother's. A rift of political differences had wedged the family apart - Paul had fought communism with guns and his sister had fought war with faith. But soon, Paul is drawn into his niece's world - perhaps by curiosity or her gentle manner.

Paul is quickly distracted as he finds that among the mission's beneficiaries are some of his prime terrorist suspects. When a gaunt homeless man named Hassan becomes the victim of a crime, Paul is determined to connect the event with global conflict while his niece seeks to bring justice.

Their lives intertwine with shared events but conflicting objectives and perspectives. Through his niece, Paul begins to realize a world beyond suspicion. His personal pain begins to subside in the endearing presence of his sister's child and the connection transforms him in ways he never thought imaginable.

'Land of Plenty' finds depth in simplicity. Through seamless storytelling and quiet exploration, Wenders' deft directorial hand creates wonderfully complex characters that challenge themselves and those fortunate to follow their struggles. The quiet spirit of Lana and her uncle's awakening tend to wounds of not only family discord, but conflicts around the world.