After Seeing The Movie, I Had To Buy The DVD!!

With over 500 reviews written on this movie already, this movie was still good enough that I just had to add my own two cents worth to Epinions. Some people really love the movie, some people really hate it, and others just weren't sure just what to think.

I fall into the "Love It" category of people. It has been so long since a movie has really made me laugh out loud. And more miraculous, it made my husband laughing too. Typically if I find a movie humorous, he kinda shrugs and says "ok, whatever .."

After renting the movie last week we both agreed that this is one that was truly funny. The characters, the situations, and the religious debate throughout really bring it all together. So much so, that it was the first movie that we both agreed we would buy, and we did last night.

The Characters

Bethany Sloan (Linda Fiorentino) is a Catholic that has lost her faith. She still attends church, but no longer believes that God is there for her. She is visited by an angel and asked to save all existence by going on a crusade. As she meets different humans, apostles, and angels her emotions are constantly changing. Anyone put in the situations she is placed would surely have some trouble understanding everything. She does a wonderful job as she goes from skeptical to confused, unbelieving to faithful, angry to overjoyed. Bethany Sloan was definitely had a lot of dimension to her.

Loki & Bartleby (Matt Damon & Ben Affleck) are two angels that were banished from the kingdom of heaven for defying the jobs they were tasked with. Now, thousands of years since they were sent to Wisconsin, they have found a loophole that will allow them back into the kingdom of heaven. These two are great together, when one is in a "bad mood" the other compensates to bring them back. But neither Heaven nor Hell want these two angels to reach their destination.

Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith) are two "prophets" of the questionable kind. Jay is a loudmouth pervert that can't shut up, uses extremely foul language, and just about always thinks with his "fly". Silent Bob on the other hand is wonderfully funny even though he only speaks twice in the entire movie. I guess "Less is More" in this case.

Rufus (Chris Rock) turns up to help Bethany along the way. He was the 13th Apostle that was left out of the Bible because of his color. He tries to guide Bethany along the right path to ensure her crusade is a success.

Serendipity (Salma Hayek) is an extremely sexy muse that left Heaven to try and be successful on her own. Unfortunately, although she can inspires others, she can not hang on to her own ideas. So trying to make a living she ends up dancing at a gentleman's club. This is where she meets up with Bethany and her troop. She definitely proves that Beauty and Brains can co-exist.

The Voice of God (Alan Rickman) is wonderful. This seraphym (the highest choir of all angels) visits Bethany to give her the crusade. He shows up throughout the movie helping here and there. Giving pieces of information into the reasons of God's will and helping Bethany understand her place better. Oh, and might I say, he has an expansive wingspan!

The Plot

If you haven't guessed already, Loki & Bartleby want to get back into Heaven. They find a loop-hole in Catholicism and in four days time will be able to go home.

Bethany has to stop these two angels from entering the church where all sins would be forgiven. She meets two "prophets" along the way which are going to New Jersey, the location of this church. Getting there is a story of its own though.

However, as she is being sent from Heaven to stop them, Hell has it's own kind out searching for them. Heaven forbid these two angels prove successful where Lucifer himself failed.

Now with two groups searching for Loki & Bartleby a third is added in. A muse that was banished from Heaven has decided that life in the pit is no longer what he wants. By getting the two angels to succeed would mean proving God to be falable, thus negating all existence. Instead of looking for the angels, they are looking for Bethany.

Violence, Language, & Nudity

The violence is pretty tame for the most part. When a fighting scene comes on or gunshots are heard, you do not see the actual victim fall. Instead, 90% of the violence in the movie is implied. You may see the aftermath, but you don't see what happens to get there. There is only one part of the movie that really shows some gore, but over all, I wouldn't have a problem with my teens watching it.

The language on the other hand is a bit more than I would have liked. F This and F That ... Jay really could have toned it down a bit. But considering it mostly just the one character and not everyone, it was not too bad.

As for the nudity, well there really wasn't any. When Serendipity is dancing at the gentlemens club, she is down to her bra and panties, but doesn't go any further.

Overall?

I would have to give this movie five thumbs up. It made you think of the possibilities of what might be true and what might not in the Bible. It made you laugh at every day situations gone awry, each character was built as an individual, and bringing together the most unlikely people together was great.

I would definitely recommend this movie for a Friday night, when you have your friends over, or even as a pick me up after a long day at work.