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Directed by: Brian Dannelly Starring: Jena Malone, Mandy Moore, Macaulay Culkin I could not recommend this film more. I saw an advanced screening of this film a few weeks ago and love it. The previews do not do this film any justice. Quickly, the plot entails Christian Jena Malone getting pregnant after she tries to turn her boyfriend away from homosexuality by having sex with him. Growing up in a childhood that is portrayed in this film they could not have gotten it more perfect. Yet, my girlfriend, who was not raised in that environment also loved the film. The thematic elements of tolerance and acceptance bubble up in the film when you don't even see it coming. The writers break down these funny jokes we make about the christian teen and reveal the true reason the culture is the way it is. Even Mandy Moore was completely flawless as the villian in a very well defined character. They keep the film moving, quirky at times, while they really let the characters move the theme along. RATING: 4.5 PROS: A perfect recreation of the Christian childhood, not Christ bashing CONS: Melodramatic ending ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0332375/
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May 20, 2004 20:06
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A really, really funny movie that I found incredibly sweet (in a good way). All the young actors are very good. This might be Macaulay Culkin's best role ever, if you don't consider the Home Alone movies the peak of his career. He totally steals the show; I was pretty much crying with laughter in a scene where he "dances" (in his wheelchair) for food at the mall. Definitely worth seeing. The only reason I can think of that somebody wouldn't enjoy this movie is if they're highly sensitive about the affronts to Christianity. While I think it's true that the movie doesn't intend to outright bash the religion and all of its followers, it does get a lot of fun out of the fervency of the beliefs of most of the kids at the Christian school, even when that fervency isn't related to hypocrisy or any other real negative byproduct. Te movie also highlights how religion can be misused and distorted with very bad results, which shouldn't reflect badly on religion itself, but it's also not exactly a shining advertisement. But with the exception of that demographic which wouldn't be interested in this kind of criticism, it should be really enjoyable. Take your girlfriend, 'cause the romantic elements are warm and goopy in just the right ways and should be appreciated as such.  4.5/5
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May 31, 2004 05:56
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I too enjoyed this movie. There were a lot of perfect subtle jokes inserted into the movie (I laughed at the George W. Bush poster in the classroom when nobody else even saw it to my knowledge). The characters were well-cast, and although the plot was one of the most cookie-cutter plots ever, I nonetheless had a great time. 4/5.
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Jun 1, 2004 03:12
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I saw a screening for Saved! tonight. I've got like a movie to see every weeknight for the next two weeks, and I was eager for a break, but I've got such a crush on Mary Louise Parker, I couldn't pass up the chance to see her in a film. The premise is pretty interesting. Jena Malone plays Mary, a god fearing senior at a Christian high school, who learns her boyfriend is gay, and feels divine inspiration to cure him of his problem by having sex with him. It doesn't work, and instead God returns the favor by making her get pregnant. She keeps it a secret, questions her faith, and is ostracized by the "Girl Gang For Christ" that she was once a happy inner circle member of. The movie does a fantastic job of poking fun at Christianity without condemning it. I'm already reading reviews from people who are mistakenly labeling it as anti-Christian, and it'll be interesting to see if it creates any kind of mini-shitstorm once it is released. Saved! brings to mind the better John Hughes teen flicks of the 80s like The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles. It's thought provoking throughout without sacrificing the humor. It's targeted at older teens, but adults should enjoy it just as well. The surprise standout in this film is Macaulay Culkin, who plays the wheelchair bound Roland in his first major film role since...Richie Rich in 1993! The "kid" is 24 now and has turned in to quite the commanding screen presence. He's got clever lines throughout, and though I hate to admit it, he really comes off as...cool. The rest of the cast works well, too. Mandy Moore is the alpha-Christian who thinks she can save everyone, but is hiding secrets of her own, and Eva Umari (Susan Sarandon's daughter in real life) as the token "punk rebel" has a unique bad girl charm that is fun to watch. The only con is that Mary Louise Parker, who plays the main character's mother, made me fall out of love with her. I've been drooling over her on old West Wing reruns, and was aghast to see her with short butchered hair that ends up going blonde at one point. To quote Jesus, "Why hast thou forsaken me?" It's nice to see a teen film that looks like it was cast with real people. Malone's Mary wears cover up with plenty of zits hidden underneath. And Patrick Fugit (the star of "Almost Famous") pulls off the skater dude character without once making you think of the lame Avril Lavigne song. The script by Brian Dannelly does a great job of exposing the hypocrisy of fanatics, without insulting the religion underneath it. The ending is a bit "cant' we all just get along", but it's a likable and probably necessary approach to keep everyone happy. It's not an all time great film, but it gets the job done with a very talented cast. I'd rate it 4 out of 5 stars. I bet you any amount of cash, that you're going to see a ton of people protesting this film. Saying everything from "it sends a message that teen pregnancy is OK", "makes homosexuality acceptable", to "it's blashphemy." My only real gripe about bad messages it sends is that all the "cool" characters in the movie smoke. But the divine influence of Lord Phillip Morris is a tough one to fight. PROS: Good biting commentary of ultra conservative Christianity, and funny CONS: Mary Louise Parker got a dyke haircut
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Jun 10, 2004 19:46
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This movie was indeed excellent. The acting was pretty good, and Moore plays a great cold-hearted jesus loving bitch. It is definitely worth the 7 dollars of admission. 4.0-4.5/5
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Jun 12, 2004 02:48
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Best movie I've seen this year. It isn't anti-religion at all. If just reaffirms the fact that groupthink concerning anything will really gently caress people up. 4.5/5
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Jun 12, 2004 07:17
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A sweet, hilarious and real movie for 3/4ths of the time, but the ending is so contrived and pasted-on it knocked this movie down quite a bit for me. Up until then, however, this movie is really great. Fabulous performances by Jena Malone, Patrick Fugit, Macaulay Culkin, Eva Amurri and even Mandy Moore. The writing is clever and the execution is solid, never going after religion, but poking pretty gentle fun at that one hyper-annoying subset of the Young Life crowd that most of us have some experience with. Pros: Some great acting, some good writing, some incredibly sweet moments and they used a Bishop Allen song. Yay! Cons: Rushed, super-contrived ending that doesn't fit with the tone of the movie at all, and really blows a lot of what it's worked for. 4.0/5
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Jun 12, 2004 15:19
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This movie was really just hilarious. There was great acting and great humor, both subtle and right out front. The subtle humor was a lot of times in double-meanings of some of the seemingly innocent lines the characters say that can be easily interpreted as innuendo. It was really well written so that you'll hear a line and sometimes there will be a delayed reaction of about five seconds and then the audience starts cracking up. They also made some great points, in my opinion, about religion and people in general. My only problem was that it had an underlying religious message, which for me kind of numbed the sacriligious humor of the movie somewhat. But overall, and excellent comedy with great acting and a great script. 4/5
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Jun 12, 2004 19:46
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I felt it was funny, but there were so many uncomfortable moments. Like a bad episode of the Wonder Years for me to really recommend this film. It reminded me alot of Igby Goes Down (also starring a macculkin) where it has a bit of subversive humor but ultimately doesn't translate to a very enjoyable movie experience. If you already hate christianity and the hypocracy that goes with it then you will probably dislike this movie. I don't really use the word hate because I did not hate this movie I somewhat enjoyed it. Since neither the previews or anyone told me that the girl gets pregnant within the first ten minutes I was really taken by suprise "...oh...its a coming of age movie... about how intolerant christians are...m'kay." Although there is one scene that pisses me off, in the end the pregnant girl tries to argue with the uberchristian principal about how the bible is gray area and he says it's black and white. You don't start an arguement with a christian, or any religious zealot for that matter, YOU WON'T WIN! But for some hosed up reason the principal actually changed... kinda. But trying to question people who believe that much is just stupid. After reading this thread I probably would have given this movie a 3/5 but if you go in with only the thought that it's about making fun of christians it would have a 2/5 which is what my final entry is.
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Jun 12, 2004 21:31
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quote:liquorhead came out of the closet to say: Actually Culkin has had a few roles since then. One that I absolutely loved was his portrayal of Micheal Alig in "Party Monster". The film came out in 2003 and stars Seth Green, Dylan Mcdermott and starring Culkin. If you think his acting in this was top notch I would highly recommend Party Monster.
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Jun 13, 2004 10:35
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Good movie: 4/5. Most of the characters seemed well cast. I could care less about Mandy Moore, but I guess that was the effect they were going for. Jena Malone gives Scarlett Johansson a run for her money in the "pretty in a subtle way" category. Without being in the public's all-seeing eye, Macauly Culkin managed to turn into a good actor. Dry sarcastic wit is always my cup of tea, however, so I may be biased. Definitely supposed to be a feel-good tolerance-teaching comedy, and I accepted it as that. If I was a hardcore christian, I could easily see why this might offend me. Expect christians who can't laugh at themselves to be all up in this movie's grill, dawg. The movie manages to do a good job of not falling into "generic teen comedy" territory too often. Some great lines in this flic, but the one that had me actually LOLing was this beauty: Cassandra: There's only one reason christian girls go to a planned parenthood clinic. Roland: She's planting a pipe bomb? Summary: Generic "Christians-are-Closedminded" Flick #769, which has a surprisingly good amount of substance.
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Jun 13, 2004 16:18
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4/5 Saved tells a tale of a girl named Mary (played by Jena Malone) who has for her entire life been an extremely devout and faithful Christian. She had been moving through life happily, sheltered by her faith for most of her young life. Then, the summer just before her senior year, the realities of today's world shattered her way of life. Her long time boyfriend, Dean, a faith-filled figure skater, tells her that that he is gay; a vision of Jesus (in actuality a pool guy) comes to her, telling her to help her Dean in any way possible. Her naive nature, however, leaves her clueless on how to go about doing this. Her best friend, Hillary Faye (played by Mandy Moore) unintentionally provides her with the answer: to have sex with Dane (after all, Jesus can restore her virginity). So Mary has sex with Dean (who had just been looking in a gay porno mag earlier)-yet it is all for naught as he is soon sent to a camp to be cured of his homosexuality. The rest of Mary's school, the American Eagle Christian School, soon finds this out and struggle to deal with something completely out of their realm of experience. Indeed, every character in the movie is forced to question their morals and exit their comfort zones: everyone from the Jewish bad girl, Cassandra (played by Eva Amurri) to the handicapped Roland (played hilariously by Macauly Culkin) to the hip Pastor Skip (played by Martin Donovan). Subtle imagery blends seamlessly with hilarious situations that had the entire audience laughing. The fundamentalist Christian lifestyle is brilliantly satired without being hateful. The acting was good and the characters had a very real feel to them; you could go down to your local church and come across someone just like almost any of them. This is a movie that I think I recommend to everyone-especially Christians. Although it pokes fun at fundamental Christians, It is not anti-religion-it in fact is very supportive of faith if you're smart enough to catch the meaning of the movie. If it offends you, take a step back and ask yourself why? If you aren't religious, I still think you should go see this movie, because the fact is that it's funny. Yes,I know there's a lot of movies out now, but I am willing to bet that the majority of them are crap. So go see something good.
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Jun 14, 2004 05:12
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3.5/5 Why? Because the second part of the film seems to suffer from the satire of the beginning part. What could have been written as one of the funniest comedies of the year, Saved! takes all the hollywood cliches and uber-glee. They did try to pepper it, with Mandy Moore's characters woes at the end, but the over happy ending made me think that with the greatness of the first half and the sell out of the second half, this movie comes out with an even layer.
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Jun 14, 2004 21:51
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This movie gets a solid 5 out of me. The movie was brilliant the entire way through, especially every scene involving Macauly Culkin, who is obviously back in a big way. The very end was a little awkward and surreal, but I loved it. "Only room for one of you." "I'm the father." "I'm the boyfriend." "I'm his boyfriend."
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Jun 15, 2004 15:56
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I just saw this movie earlier today and it's one of the best films I've seen this year. I love the politically incorrect humor and the major actors all do a great job. Culkin is hilarious, and Jena Malone does a good job in the first movie I've seen her in where she is the main character. Mandy Moore is also a surprisingly good actress. I'm a Christian, and I thought the movie had a great message, and I wasn't offended at all. I'm not fundamental and I'm open-minded out it though. It's a little sappy sometimes, and the ending seemed a tad rushed to me, but otherwise it's a great movie. 4.5 out of 5. dojokm fucked around with this message at 22:37 on Jun 15, 2004 |
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Jun 15, 2004 22:33
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It was an amazing movie. I loved everything about it. I loved the story, the acting, while the ending was a tad to joyous I still liked it,
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Jun 16, 2004 06:15
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I just saw this tonight and I loved it! As you probably read in the above posts, the ending is a bit hokey, but all in all it really comes out as a great movie. Roland's "Will Dance for Food" almost made me piss myself with laughter. The movie gets 3 points just for that 20 second scene. 4.5/5 Xarthor fucked around with this message at 06:45 on Jun 16, 2004 |
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Jun 16, 2004 06:33
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This movie really worked for me. I walked in expecting it to lose itself in mocking fundementalism, but it laid off and got on with with the story about a third of the way through. In fact, it has a relatively solid story (but there's that 'whole school revolving around three popular people' dynamic that's written in by people who don't remember high school) until the last five minutes, which just feels kind of awkward. 4.5/5
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Jun 16, 2004 07:07
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Apparently, I'm the only person on the whole forums who hated this film, but I hate to vote it down without offering an explanation first... Quite simply, I hated everything about this film. Don't accuse me of bringing my religous feelings to the table; I'm not very religous at all, and in fact, I was really excited about the idea of a movie that would trash religous intolerance. But here's the problem...this movie reminded me of this talk show host I heard one night who said, "You know what I hate about all liberals? How intolerant they are of other people's opinion!" With no irony. That was what this whole movie was like. It was incredibly smug and self-congratulatory, and basically sat there and said "Oh, look how edgy I am, and look how clever I am--I'm going to bash Christians, come check me out, you crazy rebel kids!" I think you can make fun of organized religion, but this movie was so self-righteous that it became the very thing it was making fun of--it became that person who's so sure they're right that they can't be bothered to treat anyone else like a real person. And let's talk about those "real" people--name me one character in this movie that has...hell, let's be generous--ONE full dimension. The characters, save for Mary, could not be more flat. Culkin basically is defined as The Cripple; the Jewish girl (whose name escapes me, but isn't that the point of my argument?) is basically the Jewish Rebel; Mandy Moore is The Evil Bitch; Mary's mom is basically the Absent Bad Mother; and so forth, ad nauseum. Look: I'm all for a movie that puts religious intolerance in its place. But replacing one intolerance with another one doesn't solve anything. The message of this movie basically boils down NOT to "Christians are okay if they could be more tolerant" than it does to "Christians would be better if they just shut up and quit being so drat Christian". That's not attacking hypocrisy and intolerance; it's attacking PEOPLE. If that were the only problem, the film would have been a misfire; as it is, with the flat characters and the "subtle" (as a sledgehammer) attempts at humor (it either needed to be pitched higher, a la Airplane!-style satire, or be more realistic--the movie with Mandy Moore's AMAZINGLY fictional character had no place with the "drama" of the pregnancy), the whole thing was a miserable failure. Sorry gang. Feel free to attack away, but it's going to be hard to make me feel better about this one. 1/5
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Jun 17, 2004 02:52
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I really liked this movie. I liked the idea behind the movie and thought it brought up a few good topics concerning Christianity and religion in general. I also found it fairly funny, including Skip's random frontflip onto stage. I liked the characters, but Culkin stood out in my opinion. I don't think I've seen or heard of any of his movies since Home Alone, but he did a great job in this movie. This movie just might be his big return. My only problem is with the ending of the movie. Although it wasn't back, I was just thinking it would end differently. Perhaps it ended just a little too feel-good? Either way I thought the movie was great and would recommomend seeing it. 5/5 from me
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Jun 17, 2004 21:10
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Although I was fortunate enough to not get raised in this type of environment, I know people who were. Sadly they would have fit in this film perfectly. Saved was everything I expected. I'm not sure how somebody who is too into christianity might take this movie, but I for one loved it. Also Macauly Culkin's character was definately the star in my opinion. 4/5
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Jun 18, 2004 06:04
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Movie was funny a bit predictable. Worth seeing. 4 star.
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Jun 18, 2004 06:32
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I went into this movie not really knowing what it would be about. After seeing it, I'm still not sure what I think of it. The ending was definitely a sticking point for me. It didn't seem to resolve. Sure, everyone was happy, but it didn't end with a definite position on many of the things it touched on. It didn't conclude the pastor's affair, Mandy Moore's acceptance of God's grace, or even whether any of them would be accepted by the church again. I'm thinking maybe that's what they were going for -- "in life, there are always loose endings" -- but that really seems like a cop-out. Also, I would have liked to see Roland and Cassandra's relationship fleshed out a little more. As it was, they talked once or twice, then were a serious couple. I realize there was a time shift in it all, but some sort of exposition of the two of them would have been nice. The relationship between father and son was a little rushed, too. It was basically "oh, he's Chip's son", and hardly a mention of it anywhere else. The one little metaphor I really enjoyed was when Mandy Moore crashed into the Jesus. It was really quick, but the shot of her tiara falling off just kinda hit me. Jesus' giant decapitated head staring in, her crown knocked off, it just seemed like it was meant to say "you're not in control. I am." And I liked that. I also really liked the message of acceptance with regards to the "outsiders". I deeply believe that there should be no reaons to exclude people from a church or community. Especially for having sinned. Aren't they the ones that need it most? I think that's what they were trying to say, and I picked up on it, and I loved it. The movie on a whole could have benefitted from an extra 15 minutes or so -- resolve a few things, show a little more of Roland/Cassandra and the father/son. That would have been nice. 3.5/5 (edit: I just remembered Roland dressed up as a rollerskate -- make that 4/5) edit2: also, I'm a Christian, but I really don't think that effected my opinion of the movie in a negative way. Might have improved it, even. ImJasonH fucked around with this message at 06:41 on Jun 18, 2004 |
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Jun 18, 2004 06:39
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Just saw this last night. It wasn't bad, but I am pretty suprised that so few reviews really point out how utterly contrived the plot was. Things just... fell into place (for good or for bad) more easily than in an episode of Friends. I did enjoy the movie, and thought it was pretty funny, but the plot progression was downright horrible. Bad Jewish girl suddenly becomes best friends with Mary out of nowhere? Okay, well, maybe I can accept that, but not her sudden niceness to Hillary Faye at the end. What?! I can't think of every example right now, but one thing that does stick out is pretty much everything after she gets the call from Roland the night of the prom. Every time a new "suprise" was reveleaed I groaned out loud. No, there's really no need to bring every character that's appeared in the drat movie so far together in one place for little or no reason. It needed to be cooled down a bit, especially since half the people that showed up didn't actually do anything. 3/5
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Jun 20, 2004 15:53
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This movie absolutely shocked me. I am an athiest, to the point of being actively anti Christian. But I spent 5 years of my life as a fundamentalist Christian, so I've been on both sides of the fence. I could fill books with my rants of how Christianity is bad for more reasons than I could count. But I loved this movie. I found it the most realistic portrayal of modern Christianity and faith I've ever seen, but at the same time, it's a movie Christians would also love. It manages to toe that incredibly tight line of being a movie that anyone, except the most insanely fundamentalist Christians would embrace. I think this movie encapsulated everything about Christians that bother me, while showcasing everything about Christianity that I once loved, and still do, and that is a boon all of mankind. I highly reccomend this movie, and have reccomended it to all of my hardline athiest friends, as I have my Christian friends. 4.5 Captain-Obvious fucked around with this message at 02:47 on Oct 30, 2004 |
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Aug 17, 2004 08:27
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Great movie. Sweet, funny, and all around entertaining. 4 Stars.
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Sep 2, 2004 19:53
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Nice highschoolcomedy. All characters are kinda shallow and The Girl Who Played Gretchen doesn't have the charisma with which Lindsay Lohan saved Mean Girls, but the film has a heart. Of course the ending is moralistic as hell and the whole story is as forced as Bush telling what fun it is in Iraq, but most of the jokes hit the spot and the way the movie handles Christianity gives it a well-needed sharp edge. 3,5.
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Sep 30, 2004 22:43
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Oh man, easily one the year's best. Amazing performance by Mandy Moore (I Never thought i'd say this) Jena Malone and Macaulay Culkin. The plot is interesting enough and it's definetely a movie for everyone.
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Oct 23, 2004 03:52
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I really liked this movie, but it had too many teen comedy aspects to it for me to really take it seriously. The ending and confrontation was very powerful. I'm pretty sure this could have been a really good movie had they made it less childlike. 3.5/5
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Oct 25, 2004 01:18
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oh SAVED! how I want you to be an excellent film, but how you fall into the pits of mediocrity and conformity. I really do like this film, don't get me wrong. It's very witty and reminded me so much of my high school. But the ending, why? why why why? How very 7th heaven/brady bunch, that's all I am going to say on that. Everyone pulls out a pretty decent acting roll, except Mary who is just a little to dry at times when she seems to "pop" to be that and some parts will make you laugh yourself silly. Wheel chair dancing anyone? A good film, but had more potential and it falls into a cheap ending. 3.0/out of 5
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Oct 26, 2004 14:15
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Went in with high expectations and I wasn't disappointed. Loved the opening titles with "God only Knows" and I'm willing to forgive the sappy ending. 4/5
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Nov 7, 2004 23:41
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I definately thought it was a good movie. I am a Christian and did not take any offense to this movie. I believe the point of the movie was to give awareness on how many Christians are. They take things and go way overboard. So it was cool to see a movie that lets some overbearing Christians realize how they can seem. Many Moore was great in her part. Definately recommend this movie.
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Nov 11, 2004 19:28
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I really hated this movie. I found all the magnified Christians annoying and overbearing, and not in the intended goofy comical way. Every joke is exhausted and ther characterizations are as subdued as a man in a beer commercial's desire for women. This will be hilarious if you're still stuck mawing in the high school "goddamn bible thumpers" mindset. On the plus side, the Jewish chick was pretty hot. One.
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Dec 26, 2004 19:25
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If you grew up in the South, you would understand this movie more than anyone else here. I know I did. The ending falls together too well, but other than that, it's pretty nice. I'd say 4/5
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Dec 27, 2004 00:11
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quote:Sarcasmo came out of the closet to say: Big agree. I grew up in fundie east Texas, so I found it to be both hilarious and accurate. To all you who said the portrayal of christians was exaggerated, gently caress you. It's quite possibly the most painfully realistic portrayal I've ever seen. All of them may not be like that, but there's vertainly a good portion just so, if not worse. 4/5 for coming apart at the seams with the ending.
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Dec 29, 2004 02:50
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quote:Sarcasmo came out of the closet to say: I just couldn't relate to the students in the film. I never went to a high school where principal would say things like "I'm down with JC." I voted Saved as a 2.5, you could say that I just didn't understand the charcter portrayals.
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Dec 29, 2004 22:20
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Plot spoilers follow, but this movie is hardly about plot, anyway. Saved! has an inspired premise. It sets what would be yet another teenaged high school drama in a Pentecostal Christian High School, and follows a group of students through their senior year. Central to the story is the conflict between good-girl Mary, and her insecure “Queen Bee” best friend, Hilary Faye. Also along for the ride is Roland, Hilary Faye’s paraplegic brother, as well as Mary’s <strike>plot point</strike> boyfriend Dean, hunky skateboarder Patrick, token Jew Cassandra, token Asian Veronica, and “girl who wants to be part of the in-crowd,” Tia. If this sounds like well-trod ground so far, that’s because it is. Part of the brilliance of Saved!'s premise is that by sticking with these understood archetypes, it gains instant audience familiarity. Simultaneously, the high school archetypes are all assigned a matching religious archetype. Roland becomes the secular voice, Cassandra the prodigal atheist. Patrick, who for no readily discernable reason is completely smitten with Mary, has little to do but skate around and perform silly little romantic acts that Mary rebuffs even though she digs him. Through this, it is uniquely positioned to both satirize and analyze the role faith plays in the transition from childhood to adulthood. With all this going for it, then, it's a pity the movie doesn't work. The heroine, Mary, is one of those people who acts as a supporting character in the story of her own life. When she finds out that her long-time boyfriend is gay, Mary does everything she can think of to turn him back from the damnation they are both sure awaits him. Finally, after what she believes is a series of signs from God, she has sex with him in order to “Cure” him. Alas, the next day he is caught with gay porn by his parents, and shipped off for de-programming. If you can’t guess what happens next just from her name, you haven’t been paying attention. All the other characters fall into similarly predictable roles. They dutifully go through the motions, doing what the script demands of them, and never surprise us. Aside from a brief (and very sweet) courtship between wheelchair-bound Roland and token Jew Cassandra, the script never allows them room to develop into fully realized characters. It’s in Mandy Moore's depiction of Hilary Faye that the film comes alive, and scores most of its satirical points. Hilary Faye (never just Hilary) is the kind of girl who, when life gives her lemons, makes holy water. When her parents buy for her a handicapped-enabled van instead of the gold edition Lexus she desires, she spins it to her friends as an act of piety, a sacrifice made to help her disabled brother. When she sees a bumper sticker that says, “Jesus loves you. Everyone else thinks you’re an rear end in a top hat,” she is compelled to destroy the offending message. She takes her Desert Eagle out to the Emmanuel shooting range (slogan: “An Eye For An Eye"), has a discussion with her friend about pre-marital sex, and then puts a full clip into the crotch of a target silhouette. Hilary Faye is archetypical not only of popular girls, but also those people who use Christianity as a kind of exclusive club, a warm blanket in which to wrap their personal prejudices. Unable to see the basic Christian tenet that as God's children, everyone will be allowed to come to Him in their own way, she’s constantly proselytizing. She’s obsessed with living a life that appears to show great amounts of both piety and God’s favor, and she never stops to question whether her actions are actually following the example set by the life of Christ. She uses her elevated status among the faithful to insulate her from reproach for her bad behavior. Leading a prayer circle for Dean’s rehabilitation from homosexuality, she says, “We know he’s not a bad person, he just hasn’t met the right girl,” slamming her best friend in the middle of a plea for divine intervention. If Hilary Faye is the film’s satirical center, Mary is intended to be the emotional one. This is where Saved! makes its mistake. Jenna Malone's Mary is a one-note, gimmick character. She’s a pregnant single mother in an environment that won’t tolerate abortion, but won’t tolerate a pregnant teenager, either. When Mary discovers her state, her rejection of everything that she’s ever accepted in her religion is quick, and total (Crises of faith of any sort are quickly glossed over). Ill-conceived attempts to bring her back into the fold are played for comedy. She falls in with the “out crowd,” which in this high school means the secular student and the chain-smoking Jew. All of this could be forgiven if Mary was interesting, or her pregnancy was believable, but neither is true. Mary gets a little bit of morning sickness, and buys some clothes to hide the bulge, but she never has to deal with chronic flatulence, strange cravings, back pain, mood swings, sore breasts, or weight gain. Hell, she barely has acne. Hilary Faye is by far the more interesting character in the movie, and her relationship with God is so childish, and so one-dimensional, that what happens to her when the ideal to which she holds everyone but herself is shattered could have made for a fascinating character study. Instead, the film becomes a war between the heroic secular kids vs. the overbearing fundamentalist fanatics, and any kind of hope I had for the movie collapsed. Hilary Faye is a villain for letting the entire school know that Mary’s boyfriend is gay, but Roland is a hero for hacking an unflattering picture of his sister onto the desktop of every computer in the school. Hilary Faye is a villain for framing the secular kids and then lying about it, but the secular kids are heroes for setting her up to be unmasked in the most degrading and humiliating way possible. Hundreds of dollars are charged to Hillary Faye’s stolen credit card, but the theft is blown off because the good guys did it. And, of course, Hilary Faye gets her comeuppance. This being a high school movie, it happens at the senior prom, just before the teenagers lecture principal Pastor Skip about tolerance and acceptance in a bit of preachy message exposition. Hilary Faye’s character is never given a chance to grow beyond her two-dimensional status as an overly pious, villainous hypocrite, yet Mandy Moore’s acting is so strong that the last good moment of the film again belongs to her. She stands by her wrecked van and a freshly decapitated three-story statue of Jesus, looking at the smoking ruin of her high school legacy, and asks, “Do you think Jesus still loves me?” Hilary Faye finally sees the light, or at least a glimpse of it, and just when she develops a little bit of depth, the camera shifts and we never see her again. Likewise, we in the audience are given a glimpse of a better film, only to be pulled rudely back into this one. Saved! is full of strong actors giving great performances, but they can't overcome a script full of shallow characterizations and cheap-shot jokes. Of special note is the gorgeous Eva Amurri, who plays token Jew Cassandra. She absolutely steals every scene. Saved! is a film with moments of insight and brilliance, lost in a pedestrian teenage comedy. These moments make it all the more difficult to accept the film we were given, because there is the wasted potential for so much more.
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Jan 2, 2005 08:00
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I loved every minute of this film, especially because I can relate to it so well. Nearly every joke hit, the girls were hot, and its theme that Christianity does not mean intolerance is well-conveyed. Rating: 4.5
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Jan 2, 2005 09:16
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I loved this movie! I give it a 5. Eva Amurri was great as was Macaulay Culkin
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Jan 4, 2005 18:58
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Great movie. Definitly recommended for anyone who grew up in that kind of environment.
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Jan 5, 2005 03:18
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