Meet the Mormons

This is a documentary made by Mormons about Mormons. So naturally it is designed to leave the audience with a favorable taste in its mouth toward the religion. Given those expectations it's not nearly as preachy as you might expect. It is fascinating to see the way in which Mormons tell their own story. The stories of the 6 featured people in the documentary could probably be told about good people of any other Christian faith. The question the film seeks to answer is why these intelligent, normal, believing people choose to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and not some other Christian denomination.  The production value is high and there are some breathtaking settings, particularly the segments from Costa Rica and Nepal. The narrator's script was sadly weak and trite. It might have been better altogether without any narration at all. The greatest measure of this film though, is the state of mind you leave with. Did I want to be better because of the message I felt in this film? Absolutely. Overwhelmingly. I want the absolute selflessness of The Candy Bomber and The   Humanitarian. My life would be much richer with the hope and resilience of The Missionary Mom. And that is exactly what I was hoping to get from Meet the Mormons.

Meet the Mormons is a 2014 American documentary film directed by Blair Treu and produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The film documents the lives of six devout Mormons living in the United States, Costa Rica, and Nepal. The LDS Church donated all net proceeds from the theatrical release of film to the American Red Cross.

The film features Jermaine Sullivan, "The Bishop", and his family. Sullivan is an African-American who is an academic counselor at the University of Phoenix. He was bishop of a ward in Atlanta, Georgia when the film was made, and now serves as a stake president. The film also covers Sullivan's wife and children. Darius Gray was among the associates of Sullivan interviewed.

"The Coach", Ken Niumatalolo, head football coach at the United States Naval Academy.

"The Fighter", Carolina Muñoz Marin, an MMA fighter from Costa Rica who had a chance to go pro international, but she and her husband decided it would separate their family too much.

"The Humanitarian", Bishnu Adhikari, a man from Nepal, with a degree in engineering who is the country director for Choice Humanitarian in Nepal. The organization works to improve the living situation in rural parts of Nepal.

"The Candy Bomber", Gail Halvorsen.

"The Missionary Mom", Dawn Armstrong, her story is chronicled from the birth of a son when she was a teenager, abandonment by his biological father, meeting her current husband - who had both her oldest son and her deceased next oldest son sealed to him when they were married in the temple, to her oldest son leaving to serve as a mission.

It is good to be a Mormon and to respect and estimate every person and every religion from Judaism To Islam.

I brought my wife and kids to this movie hoping to give my kids a broader view of the world, and the people who live in it. This movie was excellent, highlighting the stories, and lives of six ordinary people from around the world, who have done amazing things just by being good. They didn't set out to be amazing, they just choose good. These people also happen to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ or Latter Day Saints (or Mormons).

I, and my children, came away realizing that the daily choices we make can have great effect. That acts of good can touch others and have a profound effect on their lives. I do not agree with some critics that this was a movie trying to convert me to Mormonism. I think that the church wanted people to realize that their members are normal people trying to be good. That accomplished that goal, in an inspiring movie that made me want to help others in the world.

I would have given the film 9.5 out of 10 if that had been an option. I want to save a perfect 10 for perfection when and if I run into it. But for me, this film comes close.

No film can be everything to everyone. But this film provide both a visual and an emotional feast for anyone who is open to it. I suspect that those who resist the magic of this film may be saying more about themselves than about the film's content--and if there's resistance, I suspect it begins with the very thought of joining in a celebration of the lives of Mormons or any people driven by faith or perhaps even with the thought of joining in a celebration at all. (Imagine how Dr. House might react.)

"Meet the Mormons" is one of the most beautiful and inspiring films I have seen. All of the segments are fascinating and inspiring, and in many, the cinematography is stunning. The last one especially, though in some ways quieter, keeps tugging at your heart after you've left the theater.

It's hard to compare "Meet the Mormons" to other films. It's a documentary, but it feels more like an adventure, an intense experience with life compressed into a little over an hour. Though the two films are very different, it reminds me in some ways of "The Tree of Life," except that "Meet the Mormons" is intelligible on a first viewing. But it is also rich enough to deserve repeated viewings.

It is entertaining, illuminating, moving, at times breathtaking. It is not preachy, but there is a sort of theme, or an intertwined set of themes. Themes that stand out include the insight that every individual matters, that each of us has a role to play in the magnificent symphony of life. Another theme is the power of goodness--especially in the sense that word is used by the philosopher Emmanuel Levinas: "being-for-the-other." Every one of the people featured in the film has found meaning and purpose because of relationships with others and because of a desire to serve and bless others. As Levinas suggests, that is essentially what it means to be human: to be responsible to and in relationship with others. To welcome that responsibility is to enjoy a rich and meaningful existence. To resist it is to be diminished. ​

In a sense, then, "Meet the Mormons" is a reminder of the meaning and the wondrous possibilities of human life.

This film seeks to inspire and enlighten viewers by summing up the goodness, challenges, and triumphs of six Mormons from diverse backgrounds and locales. 'Meet the Mormons'does a great job of storytelling, and breaks new ground in the genre of Mormon movies (i.e., One Good Man, Saints & Soldiers, The Other Side of Heaven, Charly, etc.), by providing the breadth, depth, and good pacing of an official documentary, coupled with a refreshing degree of authenticity and sincerity that is difficult to ignore or deny. 'Meet the Mormons'provides an opportunity to peer briefly into not only individual lives, but into the functions of the LDS Church and its unique global Gospel culture. Each member appears to live rich and service oriented lives and is presented in tandem with their loved ones, their religious community, as well as in key societal interactions - many of which are quite striking (e.g., a US soldier dropping candy out of airplanes for German kids, an educated Nepalese building schools and improving water supply for his people, etc.). As some critics have mentioned, film-goers may not fully appreciate the basic purpose of the film (even despite being keyed in by the films title) and get a little confused as to why there is no greater attempt at resolving doctrinal questions or controversies. If you are looking for a film length version of Mormon apologetics, this is probably not the film for you. On the other hand, if you are looking for an opportunity to be inspired by great lives, to reevaluate your own conceptions of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, while also being taken on an interesting trip around the world, this is a film for you to see (and see again).