Saved!

As a non-Christian with left-leaning views, I was looking forward to watching Saved! due to favorable reviews from friends. Although I enjoyed the movie, I was disappointed by the heavy-handed, one-sided nature of the film. The acting was good, but the roles weren't so much characters as caricatures: The over-zealous, conniving hypocritical angel with a gorgeous face but a heart of coal. The non-Christian outcast reeking of immorality and sin but concealing a heart of gold. The brainwashed, disconnected, naive Christian mother. I'm sure these stereotypes do exist out there in the extreme-right, fundamental wing of American Christianity, but surely the majority are not the cardboard cutouts portrayed in Saved (I hope not!).

Ironically, the characters say it best when they point out that the world is not black and white. All in all, the film could have used a touch of subtlety. Furthermore, at times, due to the script and the background music, the film carried a made-for-TV, Nickolodeon tone. But I did laugh quite a bit and I understand the good intentions of the movie so I give it a 7 / 10 .

I am pleased to see a handful comments from Christians who were able to enjoy the movie and take it for what it is. There may be hope after all.