Dial a Prayer

I got excited in the beginning. This seemed to have a lot of potential in the beginning. It was funny, quirky and interesting. But then somewhere in the middle it just went flat. What was the purpose? What's the plot? What's the point? It's almost like the whole movie was one inside joke for only the crew and cast to understand. The ending was confusing. I feel like I got the idea of where they wanted to go but then they just went completely off road and we couldn't understand what the point was. So this woman goes through all of this spiritual growing only to do what? Why? Where? I'm so confused.

This was actually listed as a comedy, but it was no such thing. There were a few funny parts about how these phone center employees were trained on how to answer with prayers. This was not at all a Christian movie...some foul language, sex, drinking, etc. I cannot handle sappy Christian movies because they're too fake and white washed. The basic plot was a woman was doing community service after committing a crime and her father was a big shot attorney who basically got her off easy. She reluctantly has to work a prayer call center and hates every minute of it. But she unknowingly actually helps some people. It was a slower paced movie, but it kept me engaged. Her crime slowly unfolds throughout the movie and it connects her to a few other characters. The film kind of pokes fun at Christians doing the "dial a prayer" thing (which is probably why it was listed as a comedy), but there is a moral to the story or at least an evolution of the main character.

I liked this little film. A good and decent little film. The story, the script, the directing , the acting and the cinematography. A well packaged little project. I liked the idea that just when you thought that William Macey's character was evil, you end up realizing that he is not. Also, I liked the idea that believing and disbelieving in anything could change in any minute when your perception changes .

Around Thanksgiving season in suburban Detroit, a troubled 26 years-old woman (Brittany Snow) evades jail by working for a prayer hotline, but she can only connect with those who need help when she stops following the script. William H. Macy plays the pastor of the ministry, Glenne Headly her mentally ill mother and Tom Lipinski a man drawn to Cora.

"Dial a Prayer" (2015) is a drama and spiritual exploration that also satirizes Christian religion as a business in the first half. While it's not what is known as a "faith-based" film, it's also not necessarily anti-God, anti-Scripture, anti-faith or anti-spirituality. For anyone who argues that it's completely anti-spiritual, someone clearly receives a healing through prayer and the laying on of hands, which are biblical concepts.

Yes, so-and-so commits fornication, but the Bible shows God using mighty Samson even though he visited a prostitute (Judges 16). The flick is only against go-through-the-motions Christian religion (notice I said religion).

I'd put this in the same category of "The Preacher's Daughter" (2012) even though that one lacks the satire angle. It's just no where near as good because there's a little too much ambiguity, especially in the weak ending.

The movie runs 1 hour, 37 minutes, and was shot entirely in the Detroit area of Michigan, including Royal Oak, Ferndale and Troy, all of which are 6-12 miles north of the city.

GRADE: B-/C+

Brittany Snow is one of my favourite actresses, and this movie is a great reminder why. She delivers incredible scenes and portrays Cora in an amazing way. The movie itself is good, but the title and premise of the movie kind of makes it seem like a movie that is going to convince a girl who's gone off-track to find faith in god, however that isn't what the movie is about at all. My automatic thought is that this is a movie for religious people, but i don't think religious people would enjoy this movie all that much, and non-religious people wouldn't think about picking it up because of the title and premise of the movie. Still, however, it is a great movie.