Jesus People - Insultingly Funny

Movie: Jesus People

My Rating: My Rating

So, this movie is the latest attempt to capitalize on the comedic value of those wacky Born Again Christians.  This one is an independent project that I watched on Prescreen.  Oh, don’t get me wrong.  Those guys are so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed that they provide endless opportunities for people to make fun.  Plus, they’re pretty easy marks.  But, when it’s just too easy, all the fun is lost.  Once you have one or two successful films covering a particular topic, you know the copycats will be quick to follow.  My favorite film in this genre has got to be Saved.  The tone of the humor is just right.  The movie pokes fun at some of the hypocrisy you find in some churches (or communities in general), without getting too mean-spirited.  When criticism gets too ugly and personal, I find that it tends to take away from the humor.

My problem with this film is that the message seems to get a little too personal.  Director, Jason Naumann, clearly has some beef with the church, and some of that hatred is really showing through in the script.  That’s kind of a turn off.  The movie is presented in the form of a mockumentary that is tracking the progress of a new Christian rock band.  This musical group is the pet project of a small-town pastor who has just learned that he has a terminal disease.  This is his one last attempt to give back to the community, and to bring more people into the loving arms of the church.  Of course this guy is a ridiculous, blundering buffoon, so he botches these efforts quite thoroughly.  Add that to the rag tag group of semi-talented amateurs that he wrangles up to be in the group, and you have some pretty crazy hijinks.  Hilarity ensues.  There’s the innocent, devout boy, the pretty, but talentless, beauty queen, the black youth pastor who was added for his “urban” flavor, and the washed up, middle-aged, disgraced pop star. 

All this is a recipe for disaster.  But these shenanigans look to me like the director just wanted to make a point about how delusional those kooky Christians are.  The criticism just feels a bit disrespectful, without any of the cleverness that would redeem it.  Personal beliefs aside, when you see this kind of venom being spat out in public, it’s a little off-putting.  It’s more an issue of being polite and tactful toward those with whom you disagree.  Plus, there’s something to be said for subtlety.

All of this is to say that this movie doesn’t have its good points.  Even though I didn’t end up liking the finished product, it does have a good amount of pretty funny jokes.  Naumann does make pretty good use of Wendi McLendon-Covey.  And, she can always be counted on for some rowdy, irreverent fun.  And, all the actors are really good at comedic body language.  That sort of thing is hard to pull off.  I wasn’t too amazed by this film, but it’s an indie project, so I’m willing to cut it a little slack.  If you’re still interested in seeing it, you can find it here.