daubreywhite
Joined Jul 2003
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Reviews2
daubreywhite's rating
I think that, at some point, there was a good script behind this film. In the process of producing it, though, things went wrong. Hideously wrong.
There are some extremely biting jokes in this film, and that is the best I can say about it.
If, indeed, the film did start out with a good script, then shame on the filmmakers for ruining it.
If this film started out nearly as bad as it ended up being, then the actors must have been desperate; Wayans and Krakowski, for publicity, Baranski, for money, and Kudrow, for....
You really have to wonder why Lisa Kudrow was in this film. She doesn't need the money, and she doesn't need the fame. What she needs is to break into the movies (something certain "Friends" stars can't seem to manage), and you can see from a mile away that this is not going to help her do that.
Don't pay to watch this. Don't even spend your time on it.
There are some extremely biting jokes in this film, and that is the best I can say about it.
If, indeed, the film did start out with a good script, then shame on the filmmakers for ruining it.
If this film started out nearly as bad as it ended up being, then the actors must have been desperate; Wayans and Krakowski, for publicity, Baranski, for money, and Kudrow, for....
You really have to wonder why Lisa Kudrow was in this film. She doesn't need the money, and she doesn't need the fame. What she needs is to break into the movies (something certain "Friends" stars can't seem to manage), and you can see from a mile away that this is not going to help her do that.
Don't pay to watch this. Don't even spend your time on it.
This film was not submitted for press reviews, but not, I suspect, due to low quality. I think that the distributors feared a backlash from the Catholic church, and decided to let the film make its debut without fanfare. As such, I saw the film without knowing what to expect. I was not disappointed.
The acting in this film is high quality. The plot is well-formed, and it pays off well in the end. The visual style of the film is dark, gritty, and well-suited to the material.
I would describe the film as a diverting mystery thriller which uses Catholic mythology as a backdrop. The beliefs of the viewer do not enter into the viewing experience, because the film assumes a specific theology, and does not question it. In this film, none of the characters doubt the doctrine of absolution (that you cannot enter heaven with a sin on your soul, and that sins must be absolved by priests), and it is as good as fact that dying people cannot enter heaven without receiving last rites from a priest who has not been excommunicated by the Church. Much of the film's supernatural elements are built upon these principles.
The film was good enough that I could count all of the parts I would have changed. There were only two: 1). The scene where Alex tries to convince his superior to convene the Theosophic Council (because the dialogue was not written intelligently), and 2). an awkward joke about The Mod Squad.
I do not know how well this film will do critically or financially, but I do believe it will eventually become a cult favorite.
If you are a Catholic, and you hold your beliefs dearly, do not watch this film. I'm sure it will offend you deeply. The film ultimately accuses the Church of condemning people arbitrarily, and minces no words in telling the leaders of the RC Church that they are wrong.
The acting in this film is high quality. The plot is well-formed, and it pays off well in the end. The visual style of the film is dark, gritty, and well-suited to the material.
I would describe the film as a diverting mystery thriller which uses Catholic mythology as a backdrop. The beliefs of the viewer do not enter into the viewing experience, because the film assumes a specific theology, and does not question it. In this film, none of the characters doubt the doctrine of absolution (that you cannot enter heaven with a sin on your soul, and that sins must be absolved by priests), and it is as good as fact that dying people cannot enter heaven without receiving last rites from a priest who has not been excommunicated by the Church. Much of the film's supernatural elements are built upon these principles.
The film was good enough that I could count all of the parts I would have changed. There were only two: 1). The scene where Alex tries to convince his superior to convene the Theosophic Council (because the dialogue was not written intelligently), and 2). an awkward joke about The Mod Squad.
I do not know how well this film will do critically or financially, but I do believe it will eventually become a cult favorite.
If you are a Catholic, and you hold your beliefs dearly, do not watch this film. I'm sure it will offend you deeply. The film ultimately accuses the Church of condemning people arbitrarily, and minces no words in telling the leaders of the RC Church that they are wrong.