Short summary: I cringed, snickered, and giggled during this movie more than I tend to do over most actual comedies. It really is THAT staggeringly silly.
Spoiler alert: the 'God' in this movie is, of course, Jesus. No other gods, religions, or philosophies past, present, or future need apply for a lease on life, as far as this movie's thinking goes (however generous a word like 'thinking' might be in this context.)
In any case, the movie starts with and centers around an utterly inane setup: nobody who's ever actually been to a university, much less in fact taken a real philosophy class, would find it remotely plausible. This movie embodies the stereotypical bogeyman of a liberal left ivory tower full of vacuous and intellectually corrupt -- and/or emotionally damaged -- academic elitists, fond of incessantly stroking and congratulating each other, and bent on forcefully indoctrinating our vulnerable and upstanding Christian youth with anti-Biblical teachings and notions. I don't think it would be an exaggeration to say that if this movie actually represented reality, conservative radio talk shows might have had a point, for once.
The 'professor' character is a grotesquely silly caricature. He is consumed with a stereotypical 'atheist' vendetta against a 'God' he claims not to believe in (seriously!) His argumentative arsenal consists exclusively of appeals to authority and personal insults -- this, from a 'brilliant' PHILOSOPHY 'genius' (the movie's own characterization!) He's also really quite a shallow and insecure, self- centered jerk. Rather incredible, for someone whose very profession is founded upon the discipline of careful, clear, and deep contemplation.
Next, we have this humble college freshman who -- pursuing the calling of his faith -- in his spare time between classes, reads dozens of books and puts together slick-looking video presentations that would make any multimedia specialist and/or professional lecturer proud. While at it, he misrepresents some science, and gives voice to some rather weak and easily refutable sophistry -- which, of course, in the movie goes unchallenged as if it were some kind of gospel.
There are some miscellaneous characters and side-stories, intertwining with each other, and basically all constructed around various people coming to Jesus one way or another. Which is, in the end, the movie's entire and solitary message.
Sprinkled throughout, there are oodles of horrible dialog, stiff or just plainly bad acting, ridiculous choices, misplaced priorities, unbelievable scenarios, irrelevant and silly attacks on some imaginary caricature of the political left, and inane outbursts from various characters who have not yet found their way into the light -- all of which in aggregate, in my view at least, constitute the only somewhat fun aspect of this movie (even if likely representing a typical evangelist's wet dream...)
All of it is dressed in a light-drenched palette of pastel sets and wardrobes, colorless musical score, and ho-hum cinematography.
In an intellectual sense, this movie left me with an unsavory sensation of having spent an hour and a half watching a cast of characters deliberately masturbate themselves and each other on-screen for public edification. Really, if this movie is the "Bible-thumper" (another reference from the movie) answer to atheism, then the Biblical god, at least, if not altogether dead is not only in critical condition and on full life support, but a brain-dead vegetable to boot.
Yet, I get the sense that this movie's sermon is calibrated for and targeted squarely and solely at the eager and ready choir. Unless you are a card-carrying member, it's unlikely you will find this experience either entertaining or worthwhile.
