"God's Army" is a well-made independent movie about a 19-year-old Mormon missionary from Kansas adjusting to life in Los Angeles. Although the title communicates zealotry of the most off-putting kind, the movie is actually a sensitive and thoughtful probe into questions of faith and the difficulties faced by those who are called to teach others.
Matthew Brown plays Brandon Allen, or Elder Allen as he's called by his fellow missionaries. Soon after he's picked up at LAX and introduced to his surly partner Elder Dalton (Richard Dutcher, who also wrote, directed and produced the movie), Brandon is tramping the streets of Los Angeles, going door-to-door in working-class neighborhoods where, not surprisingly, he's met mostly with rejection, hostility and indifference.
At the end of his first exhausting day Brandon meets his roommates--a merry band of pranksters partial to playing practical jokes on the new guy. The other missionaries include Elder Banks (DeSean Terry), a young African American convert; Elder Sandoval (Luis Robledo), the ladies man of the group; and Elder Kinegar (Michael Buster), the group's doubting Thomas who studies anti-Mormon literature to better educate himself about the "enemy."
The living quarters in their low-rent Hollywood apartment are cramped and the schedule--which includes daily prayers, personal reflection and group study in addition to missionary work and chores--is exhausting.
The key relationship in the film is between Brandon, who's as green as a husk of corn, and Elder Dalton, who at age 29 is considered ancient by his young cohorts (they refer to him as "Pops"). Both men have serious personal issues: Brandon's stepfather, the one who converted him to Mormonism, has been convicted of an insidious crime; Elder Dalton is in the final stages of cancer but is determined to finish his mission.
The questions posed by the two men to each other and to themselves are universal questions of faith. What does God expect from us? What constitutes a moral life? Are miracles possible through the intercession of God? How is one to communicate a spiritual message in our largely secular world?
Although Dutcher and several of the others involved with the movie are
devout Mormons, this is not a movie heavy on proselytizing. Save for a
few touchy-feely moments, "God's Army" is a mostly nonsentimental look at
a world of believers and issues of faith, both of which we rarely see in
movies.
MPAA rating: PG for thematic elements and some language. Times
guidelines: Language is mild.
'God's Army'
Matthew Brown: Brandon Allen
Richard Dutcher: Marcus Dalton
DeSean Terry: Elder Banks
Michael Buster: Elder Kinegar
Zion Films presents a Richard Dutcher film. Written, directed and
produced by Richard Dutcher. Cinematographer Ken Glassing. Editor Michael
Chaskes. Music Miriam Cutler. Wardrobe supervisor Gwen Dutcher. Art
director Heath Houseman. Running time: 1 hour, 58 minutes.
"God's Army" is a well-made independent movie about a 19-year-old Mormon missionary from Kansas adjusting to life in Los Angeles. Although the title communicates zealotry of the most off-putting kind, the movie is actually a sensitive and thoughtful probe into questions of faith and the difficulties faced by those who are called to teach others.
Matthew Brown plays Brandon Allen, or Elder Allen as he's called by his fellow missionaries. Soon after he's picked up at Los Angeles International Airport and introduced to his surly partner Elder Dalton (Richard Dutcher, who also wrote, directed and produced the movie), Brandon is tramping the streets of Los Angeles, going door to door in working-class neighborhoods where, not surprisingly, he's met mostly with rejection, hostility and indifference.
Kathleen Craughwell
N.Y. Times News Service
[Note that this review by Kathleen Craughwell is a variation of the one written by her and published in the LOS ANGELES TIMES.]
GOD'S ARMY
B+
(Director: Richard Dutcher. Stars: Richard Dutcher, Matthew Brown, Jacque Gray. Rated: PG.) All right, let's get this out of the way first. I am an agnostic, raised in Salt Lake City, not the easiest place for a person of little faith to grow up. So, as you can imagine, I attended a screening of God's Army with some preconceived notions and a heavy dose of apprehension. Thankfully, my fears were largely unfounded. God's Army is the tale of several young Mormon missionaries assigned to baptize new recruits in L.A., a city with more heathens per square foot than our own Sin City. Through director Richard Dutcher's eyes--Dutcher also plays Dalton, the oldest missionary assigned to the Los Angeles territory at 29--we are treated to a true-to-life account of the work these young, often misunderstood men do. They knock on doors, teach those who will listen about the Book of Mormon, and even get in a little community outreach on the side. The young actors do a wonderful job of relating their internal conflicts as they come to terms with their faith, and the film addresses a number of the stereotypes associated with LDS followers. Though Mormon audiences are guaranteed to like the film, it's a worthy cinematic experience for non-believers as well.
If four guys in white shirts and black ties, all in a row, suggests some kind of Mormon Glengarry Glen Ross, that's not all that far off the mark. These clear-eyed, clean-cut, caffeine-free young missionaries to heathen Hollywood, like David Mamet's dyspeptic Long Island losers, take orders, follow up leads and make the occasional big sale. Here, though, the orders come from a power greater than even Kevin Spacey, and the product, though less tangible, is doubtless worth more than any hunk of real estate. To take it from another angle, writer-producer-director Richard Dutcher's very-latter-day saints are every bit as vital as The Apostle's Reverend E. maybe not as grizzled, but just as vulnerable, and driven, and alive to the spirit. Matthew Brown (as the newbie elder Brandon Allen), Jacque Gray (as missionary sister Janine Fronk) and the talented Mr. Dutcher himself (as the wizened 29-year-old house leader called Pops) head a fine cast of unknowns in a story of faith lost, found and continually challenged that neither romanticizes nor condescends to its milieu. Given the movie's extremely limited distribution outside Utah, will anyone actually get to see God's Army? Here's hoping that at least one of the indie festivals or distributors is independent enough to pick up on it.
[Excerpts are presented below. Please read Melanie's full review at the About.com site.]
When I first heard that someone was making a movie about Mormon missionaries, I groaned. Not again, I thought. Not another movie to mock and misrepresent our faith. Weren't there enough of those around? I gave the idea a hearty BAH HUMBUG and moved onto better things.It wasn't until I heard the movie had received standing ovations, beating out Disney's 'Mission to Mars' its opening weekend in Utah, that I started to pay attention. People in Utah were applauding this movie? This was definitely something to look into...
After hours of endless previews (including LDS director Don Bluth's Titan A.E.), the movie finally started. I watched with anxious anticipation, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst...
This isn't a "feel-good" Church video about the ideal mission experience. This is a down to earth look at what happens when missionaries go out into the world to share the gospel. In real life things are rarely ideal and Richard Dutcher does a superb job of portraying this in a sensitive but realistic manner... God's Army isn't just a movie about a bunch of Mormon missionaries. It goes beyond the mission field and touches on experiences almost every member of the Church has encountered at some time during their membership. Don't miss the opportunity to see this movie when it comes to your area...
Salt Lake City, UT: God's Army is the top grossing film in Utah thus far in 2000. According to data from ACNielsen EDI, God's Army has significantly outgrossed such Hollywood blockbusters as Erin Brockovich andMission to Mars , which opened at approximately the same time as God's Army.
Top ten grossing films in Utah:
1. God's Army $867,588
2. Gladiator $736,590
3. Erin Brockovich $663,543
4. U-571 $519,729
5. Galaxy Quest $501,591
6. Return to Me $468,722
7. The Tigger Movie $427,521
8. Mission to Mars $423,080
9. Scream 3 $415,202
10. The Green Mile $398,967
(data compiled from ACNielsen EDI reporting theaters from January 7, 2000 through May 25, 2000)
The ranking comes just as God's Army is being featured in Entertainment Weekly as an example of a true independent film finding it's niche and triumphing at the box office. According to Entertainment Weekly, God's Army is one of "a new breed of stealth features'independently financed and distributed, and seen by audiences largely ignored by Hollywood."
A similar article ran on May 15 in the Hollywood Reporter, a daily national entertainment news publication. That article compared successful marketing techniques used by God's Army and another religious film, The Omega Code. Both films ignored traditional means of mass marketing and targeted a specific niche market.
"I've always been irritated by the way Mormons are portrayed in the movies," says Richard Dutcher, God's Army writer/producer/director/co-star. "So negatively and one-dimensionally, if at all. We never see real, true, flesh and blood Mormon people in a film."
Dutcher's attempt to portray such flesh and blood Mormons in God's Army struck a chord here in Utah, where Mormons make up the dominant culture.
As God's Army opens in theaters outside of Utah, it has continued to create considerable buzz for a low-budget independent film. The film has sparked positive reviews from papers like the L.A. Times, LA Weekly, Las Vegas Weekly and the Arizona Daily Star, in addition to positive reviews from the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News. Television stations in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Portland, Las Vegas and Phoenix have covered God's Army openings. Here in Utah, several stations covered the March 10 Salt Lake opening and KSL-TV did a story on the God's Army opening in Hollywood.
The L.A. Times called God's Army "a sensitive and thoughtful probe into questions of faith." Mel Parkinson of Las Vegas Weekly admitted to attending a screening with some apprehension, but was relieved to report that his fears "were largely unfounded." Parkinson commended the acting and called God's Army a "worthwhile cinematic experience for non-believers." Ron Stringer of LA Weekly not only favorably compared God's Army with films like Glengarry Glenn Ross and The Apostle, but also encouraged someone in the mainstream to distribute the film to a broader audience.
Currently
playing in 10 states, including Alaska and Texas, God's Army
will continue to expand across the country, opening on the eastern
seaboard by the end of summer.
God's Army gets National Attention
Salt Lake City, UT: As God's Army has opened in theaters outside of Utah, the independent film about Mormon missionaries has generated a lot of buzz both in and out of the Mormon community. And for the most part that buzz has been very positive.
God's Army is featured this week (June 9) in the national publication Entertainment Weekly. The article on page 51, entitled "The Specialists," profiles true independent films and their marketing techniques and challenges, highlighting God's Army and it's success on the national box office charts. A similar article ran on May 15 in the Hollywood Reporter, a daily entertainment news magazine, comparing the successes of God's Army and The Omega Code.
When God's Army opened along the Wasatch Front on March 10, everyone expected the movie to find an audience in Utah, the heart of Mormon country. The film did just that, becoming the top film in Utah by the end of it's first week in theaters.
Many questioned, however, the film's appeal outside of the dense Mormon community in Utah. Would it attract Mormons in places like California or Oregon? Would it appeal at all to non-Mormons? Richard Dutcher, the filmmaker, admittedly made God's Army for a Mormon audience, but was confident that non-Mormons could also relate to the human stories of the film.
Many non-Mormon reviewers agreed with him.
The L.A. Times called God's Army "a sensitive and thoughtful probe into questions of faith." Mel Parkinson of Las Vegas Weekly admitted to attending a screening with some apprehension, but was relieved to report that his fears "were largely unfounded." Parkinson commended the acting and called God's Army a "worthwhile cinematic experience for non-believers." Ron Stringer of LA Weekly not only favorably compared God's Army with films like Glengarry Glenn Ross and The Apostle, but also encouraged someone in the mainstream to distribute the film to a broader audience.
TV news stations in Los Angeles, Boise, Las Vegas and Phoenix covered the film's openings in their cities. Stations in Las Vegas, Phoenix and Sacramento interviewed filmmaker Richard Dutcher on the air.
Some reviewers felt that God's Army was too exclusive and lacked appeal outside of a Mormon community. A Seattle reviewer accused Dutcher of "preaching to the converted," but a reviewer from the Arizona Daily Star commented, "Whether or not viewers share Mormon beliefs—and Dutcher steers clear of dogmatic debate—God's Army earnestly tackles the challenges of living day-to-day with faith."
Not all Mormon missionaries are sent to Third World countries. Some go to Hollywood.
Such as Richard Dutcher, the independent filmmaker who wrote, directed, produced and acts in the new movie "God's Army," the story of young Mormon missionaries struggling with their faith in Los Angeles.
Such as 19-year-old Kansan Brandon Allen (Matthew Brown), the lead character in said movie. He falls off the bus, looking as dewy and innocent as did another Kansan when her house crash-landed in Oz.
But Elder Allen (his missionary title) is about to get a crash course in living in the decadent city, and in saving souls.
Both lessons are administered by Elder Marcus Dalton (played by Dutcher), who at 29 already is known as "Pops" by the five younger missionaries with whom he shares a seedy L.A. apartment.
Pops also becomes the "companion" (a combination of roommate and preaching partner) to "greenie" Elder Allen.
Dutcher has said that he made "God's Army" because most mainstream movies depict Mormons in a derogatory fashion and because most Mormon films are of the staid, proselytizing, shown-in-the-church-hall variety.
The production qualities of "God's Army" mark it as a professional work, no less accomplished than the bulk of studio and independent films we see in commercial theaters.
It uses well-composed cinematography by Ken Glassing and smart, smooth editing by Michael Chaskes. A soundtrack of rock and folk music sounds contemporary enough to draw young viewers.
Dutcher's story, though, won't surprise many of them.
Although Pops is a harsh role model, he's also kind to the younger man. Elder Allen learns that his new calling means long hours distributing fliers and getting doors slammed in his face.
Out on the pavement, he and Pops encounter streetwise hookers, defensive Catholics, violence and an African-American couple that wants to argue Christian dogma.
Speaking of African-American characters, one of the guys at the apartment is a young black missionary, Elder Banks (DeSean Terry), whose presence is taken for granted for most of the movie.
Dutcher tries briefly to touch on the difficulties faced by a black Mormon but quickly abandons that plot thread. It's a shame because Terry is one of the most charismatic actors in the picture.
The spiritual straying of another, Elder Kinegar (Michael Buster), occupies some time, and it's tempting to wonder how much more compelling "God's Army" might have been focused more on his story.
The filmmaker painstakingly shows us how the fellows at the apartment can be just as rambunctious — playing pranks, telling gross jokes, eating greasy burgers —and occasionally as randy as other twentysomething guys.
But as Pops warns, repeating what sounds to be a rote saying, "You don't look once, you're not a man; look more than once, you're not a missionary."
Elder Allen looks several times at Sister Fronk (Jacque Gray), a young female missionary attached to the same group. She's a got a major chip on her shoulder that he decides to try and remove.
The success of most movies about religious faith depends on belief. Not the beliefs of the characters — those are merely instruments of the plot — but whether the viewer considers the faith of the characters to be believable.
That verisimilitude has helped past films such as "The Rapture," "The End of the Affair," "Breaking the Waves" and "Dogma" earn respect. The characters in those movies displayed their respective faiths, or lack thereof, as passionately and convincingly as Robert De Niro plays a mobster.
The cast of "God's Army" does so, as well. Whether or not viewers share Mormon beliefs — and Dutcher steers well clear of dogmatic debate — "God's Army" earnestly tackles the challenges of living day-to-day with faith.