Saved (2004)
The new Christian Youth get their
comeuppance in "Saved," a black comedy that builds
up wonderfully for 80 minutes before it starts resting
on some well- worn arguments and just sort of lays
there. In the end, it feels like an opportunity for
something really bitter and black has been missed.
Jena Malone is awesome (as expected)
as Mary, perhaps the most normal girl in all of her
Christian academy. Mary hangs out with the cool Christian
girls and has an awesome cute Christian boyfriend
named Dean. Her single mom (Mary Louise Parker) is
even dating their hip pastor and the dean of Mary's
school (Martin Donovan). Before the movie is over,
however, Mary will totally become a new person.
"Saved" takes on the modern Christian
church's stance on just about everything. Dating,
divorce, homosexuality, premarital sex, abortion,
unwed mothers and more. But its true genius is how
it subtly points out the flaws inherent in the modern
church. Mary makes a mistake and is left with huge
problems and needs help urgently. Yet as a respected
young member of her church, she is left with no one
to turn to when she needs help. Why? Because her friends
are loving Christians. They're the new judgemental
Christians. In the new Christian church, to need help
is to admit that you have done wrong and this seems
to be considered the most unforgivable error of all.
It's a paradox of the new Christian movement and one
that will ultimately bring about their extinction.
Christianity, in its purest and most divine form,
is about love and forgiveness. It's not a clique or
a situation to used in order to put one person in
a position of authority over another. This theme is
explored wonderfully and subtly in "Saved." It is
one of the things that makes the film worth seeing.
To be honest, the other reasons
to see it, for me at least, is that Macaulay Culkin,
Patrick Fugit (who has a wonderful scene here where
he wears next to nothing), Kett Turton and Chad Faust
are also in the film. These are some really attractive
guys and they are in the film nearly as much as Malone
and co-star Mandy Moore. Mac looks simply stunning.
Could anyone in the world, even Angelina Jolie, have
lips sexier than Mac's? I don't think so. As far as
acting, everyone here does quite a wonderful job.
Malone is brilliant. Mac is the best we have ever
seen him (almost making "Party Monster" forgivable)
and Moore is a revelation. She plays a very difficult
role here, one that is not what we expect from her.
It's an edgy, biting, bitchy character and Moore is
definitely playing against type. She does an awesome
job and deserves much kudos for expanding into a career
move that I'm sure many of her handlers advised against.
In the end, unfortunately, "Saved"
begins to reflect the ridiculous optimism and ideals
of a 17 year old. The climax, is quite perfunctory
and expected. The confrontation here is sappy and
while the film has a chance to say something about
love and forgiveness, it opt instead to simply question
New Christianity and challenge its authority. It's
the kind of thing you would expect a college sophomore
to have written. Up until this point, the film has
been edgy and fun, almost a black comedy, so this
lame clash of who's wrong and who's right is really
a letdown.
Still, I think this is a good film
for young people to see and I think, in many ways,
it might be in the same league of one of my favorite
films of all time, "The Breakfast Club." As an adult,
the answers here seem easy and the problems all sort
of melt away. If I were 18 and saw this movie though,
I would think it was the best fucking thing I ever
saw.
Notes:
Also with Heather Matarazzo.
Joe MacLeod, who sings for the fictional
Christian rock band Godflight in the movie actually
fronts a band called Day Theory.
Writer/director Brian Dannelly,
who was born in Germany, actually attended a Baptist
high school when he lived in Baltimore as a teen.
The Beach Boys' song "God only Knows"
is used over the credits here.
One of the producers is Michael
Stipe.
Although there are at least three
films with the title "Bitter Harvest," none of the
star Valerie Bertinelli. I'm assuming this was a faked
scene from a faked TV movie that is used in this film.
Filmed in Canada.
Picked up by MGM/UA, the film will
open in April 2004. The film debuted at Sundance.
Viewed at
SXSW in March 2003.
