Why do so many people in this community support the movie "Singles Ward"? The opening song is "I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ." It is jazzed up and used as background music.
This is the theme for the Primary Sacrament presentation for every ward and branch for the LDS Church this year. Children all over the world will be singing this song sincerely, as an expression of belief and gratitude.
Even more offensive is the jazzed up "Come, Come Ye Saints" at the end of the movie. When the young men are racing to the airport, one of our most beloved hymns, certainly our most recognized, is put to rock music and sung in a harsh, straight-from-the-throat manner. This song originated during the hardships of the trek to Salt Lake City. It is sung now during hardships. When sung sincerely, it inspires faith amidst difficulties. Because this movie's producers have overlooked the meaning of the music, I would encourage us, as a community, to leave this movie alone.
Rhonda Loveless
Kearns
I am disappointed with the author of the letter "Don't see 'Singles Ward'" (Readers' Forum, June 21). She encourages our community to boycott the movie because of its music. She refers to the soundtrack as "harsh" and "offensive." Although not necessarily appropriate for a church setting, the movie still has a good, uplifting message. Given some of the other options available, if my son or daughter were listening to "The Singles Ward" CD, I would not be disappointed. In fact, I would be pleased. When we consider other movies released last year with filthy language, violent content and sexual images and themes, it seems that we, as a community, should support movies like "Singles Ward." It has clean language, a good moral, modest dress, and a fun, tongue-in-cheek view of the LDS culture. As a father and a husband, I applaud HaleStorm Entertainment in their efforts to produce a higher level of cinema and encourage them to press on.
McKay Barlow
Salt Lake City
When I read McKay Barlow's comments on "The Singles Ward" (Readers' Forum, June 25), I felt a shudder of fear. Is the LDS community so desperate for "family" entertainment that they will herald crap as good filmmaking? The churchgoing members of my family watch "The Singles Ward" on a seemingly regular basis. I once caught myself watching it. I continued watching, not out of involvement with the story, but out of shock, much like one has a difficult time turning away from a bad traffic accident. Certainly, everyone has their opinion on what is good and what is not. But if I were given the choice to see "The Singles Ward" or, say, "Requiem for a Dream," it isn't hard to figure out which I'd choose. "Requiem" may contain harsh, realistic portrayals of drug addiction that many LDS members would view as "immoral," but I would rather have my niece and nephew watch that than "The Singles Ward" any day of the week.
Boyd Petrie
Salt Lake City
I wholeheartedly agree with the comments expressed by Rhonda Loveless in her letter, "Don't see 'Singles Ward'." To jazz up the song "I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ" is clearly inappropriate, since members are taught to treat the Savior's name as sacred and never use it lightly. And to mix "Come, Come, Ye Saints," a sacred hymn, with rock music in an attempt to popularize it, offends the spirit.
David Tomer
West Valley City
I am writing in response to a letter by Rhonda Loveless, "Don't See 'Singles Ward'."
I feel that Ms. Loveless does not quite understand music in our times. I found the music in "Singles Ward" to be quite inspirational and would encourage everyone -- LDS and non-LDS -- to see this film.
The version of "I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ" was done in such a creative and humorous way that it inspired me to learn the "official" version. It made me remember how fun it was to sing when I was in Primary.
As for "Come, Come, Ye Saints," the song was well-placed since the main character was going through emotional turmoil. It may not have been the turmoil of the pioneers, but it was turmoil a modern person would go through.
I hope that most of us will not boycott this film because of its music. The youths of the LDS Church have embraced this movie as well as its songs.
Spencer L. White
Roy
Question: Why doesn't the "Singles Ward" movie have closed captions? I don't understand what they say because I can't hear. My sister, her family and my parents were in the movie. Will you tell someone to add closed captions for me and others?
Lisa Roush
Sandy
[For the record, "The Singles Ward" DVD does have optional English-language subtitles, so any hearing-impaired person can read all of the film's dialogue.]
I have to agree with Rhonda Loveless' letter ("Don't see 'Singles Ward' ").
We, as a community, should not promote films with such morals and language as "The Singles Ward" uses.
We should not support the ideals behind those that make such films as "The Singles Ward."
We need to especially ban the type of music in "The Singles Ward."
We should avoid "Singles Ward" and go see movies with better morals, language, music and themes such as "2 Fast 2 Furious," the violent "Matrix: Reloaded" or the blasphemous "Bruce Almighty."
David J. Wilde
Salt Lake City
For Immediate Release
For Additional Information: Jed Ivie (801) 362-9063 June 30, 2003 HaleStorm Entertainment announced Monday that the Mormon-themed comedy The R.M. broke the million dollar box office barrier over the weekend. To date, the film has grossed $1,006,287. In so doing, it has become the fourth LDS film to cross the mark, and is on track to match the performance of HaleStorm's first release, The Singles Ward.
The success of the film also signals that the LDS film genre is alive and well, despite the lackluster performance of the more recent releases.
"The R.M. has done well for us," said HaleStorm Distribution president George Dayton, "but we still have a long way to go with our theatrical run. We hope we can continue to move forward with this and our future releases."
With the success of its first two films, HaleStorm has announced the production of two more films, The Home Teachers and Church Ball. The Home Teachers goes into production on July 14 and is slated for a January 9, 2004 release. Church Ball will be shot early next year.
HaleStorm Corporate Bio
HaleStorm Entertainment is an Orem based film production, recording label, and distribution company. HaleStorm was founded in 2001 by Kurt Hale and Dave Hunter. HaleStorm's first feature film, The Singles Ward, sparked much success for the fledgling company. Encouraged by that success, Hale and Hunter determined to establish HaleStorm as a permanent fixture in the Utah film industry.
HaleStorm is currently in production on their third film, The Home Teachers, as well as a direct-to-video comedy, Latter-day Night Live, featuring the stand-up comedy acts of several LDS comedians.
I found it sad that people were less concerned with President Gordon B. Hinckley's recent 93rd birthday than they were with whether he would endorse Sean Hannity at the Freedom Festival in Provo. Likewise, it's tragic, not to mention ironic, to see people stoop to mean-spirited letters over whether "Singles Ward" passes the muster of LDS standards.
Do we really need to argue over things like this?
Honestly, I don't know whether or not my soul has been adversely effected by "Singles Ward" or whether Mr. Hannity deserves a seat in heaven. And I don't believe that any of you know, either. There is no official LDS Church doctrine on either matter.
Daniel Gunderson
Taylorsville
In regard to David Turner's and Rhonda Loveless's assertions that it is sacrilegious to "jazz up the Mormon hymns" in the movie "The Singles Ward," I have this observation: Please don't confuse Mormon tradition with the gospel of the Savior.
Joseph Smith remarked once that many of the Saints "will fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to their tradition" ("Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith," Page 331).
Many young and some old (like me) people enjoy the rendition of these hymns. I am 54 years old but am still young at heart. If you don't like these new renditions, then don't see "The Singles Ward." But let those of us who do enjoy ourselves.
Sterling B. Day
West Valley City
Each day that I open the paper and read the letters to the editor, I have to briefly flip back to the front page to remember which paper I'm reading. Every time I read a new letter about the moral merits of "The Singles Ward" or its accompanying soundtrack, I feel like I'm back in school reading the beloved Daily Universe, BYU's newspaper. The Universe if [sic] plagued by ridiculously irrelevant letters to the editor which lead to a two-week debate on who's right or wrong and how shocking it is someone could say such things.
To all who insist on debating the value of watching "The Singles Ward," thanks. I feel like a college student again.
Jess Clark
West Jordan
I can't believe that I am writing to you about such a ridiculous subject as whether the movie "Singles Ward" is worthwhile. I think the people who cannot identify with this movie have got to be living in a bubble. The guy's problems, in the movie, are so minor compared to what is actually happening to people.
And while I don't mind people desiring to keep themselves clean from a lot of problems in the world, I do mind the judgmental way they do it.
This movie has inspired a lot of people, especially young people to change their lives.
I ask people to reach out and find more love and compassion in their hearts.
Ida Jane Buie
Taylorsville
[EXCERPTS]
The makers of "The Singles Ward" and "The RM" try to capture the humor of the Mormon culture again with their newest film, "The Home Teachers."
...Hale and Dave Hunter, both BYU film graduates, created Halestorm Entertainment in 2001 and have since produced two successful Mormon movies. They said they plan to continue creating as long as they have success, though this film will be different from its predecessors...
Though this is his first leading role, Birkeland played Hyrum in "The Singles Ward" and Dooey in "The RM."
Co-star Jeff Birk, a BYU graduate in international studies, plays the orthodox Nelson, a strict church member. Birk is no newcomer to comedy; he has been doing stand-up as a hobby for 13 years, and was the "paint ball guy" in "The Singles Ward." The two co-stars have great chemistry because they have been making people laugh together for about 10 years, Birk said...
The BYU connection goes back as far as the producer's mother, Nan Hunter, who graduated from BYU and now lives in California. Hunter and other family members were in "The Singles Ward" and some will also be in "The Home Teachers."
Halestorm Entertainment has stirred up controversy by walking a fine line between joking and offending members of the church. Hale said that he has gained a lot of people's trust when they see that it's active Mormons making films about our quirky culture without getting too close to the line.
"We're not about offending anyone," Hale said. "We can't bite the hand that feeds you. If we begin offending our audiences they'll turn and walk away. There's a level of trust there, and they know we're not going to step too far over."...
[EXCERPT]
Laughter, hugs and praise set the stage behind the scenes of "The Home Teachers."
The faces are familiar to any Mormon who has followed Halestorm Entertainment in "The Singles Ward" and "The RM."
Birkeland is easily recognizable as the curly-haired blonde who plays the quirky comic relief of both "The Singles Ward" and "The RM." He said he's comfortable being the quirky guy in the background, but being the star is much different...
[EXCERPT]
A pair of home teachers visited American Fork during the last week of the month, bringing all kinds of chaos in their wake.
They were not the real variety, however, but characters in the movie of the same name, being produced by Halestorm Entertainment, creators of "Singles Ward" and "The R.M."...
...on the silver screen next month in a multimillion-dollar motion picture titled "The Book of Mormon Movie, Volume 1: The Journey."... Rogers has also employed a pioneering ticket-proselytizing plan and, in a touch of showmanship that DeMille would have appreciated, will have camels at Jordan Commons for the world premiere on Sept. 12, the day the film begins its Utah run in several theaters...
That much is certain -- and the fact that The Osmonds will not be singing a pop version of the primary song "Book of Mormon Stories" on the soundtrack, a la "Singles Ward."
[EXCERPT]
...And those who indiscriminately heap praise and support on all of these movies do the filmmakers no favors. What's the incentive to improve if all you hear is that your work is great? Hence, "Singles Ward" is followed by "The RM." And soon, "Home Teachers." And next year, "Church Ball." These aren't movies; they're road shows with money.
But all of this is subjective, of course. One man's "Citizen Kane" is another man's "Caddyshack."...
[EXCERPTS]
...Other films, including "Out of Step," "The Singles Ward" and "Handcart" were released in 2002, followed by "The R.M." in January of this year...
..."This is the year that is really going to make the difference," said Ryan Little, director of "Saints and Soldiers," a World War II drama scheduled to open in Utah theaters in early 2004. (He also directed "Out of Step" and was director of photography on "The Singles Ward," "The R.M." and the upcoming "The Home Teachers.")...
..."I think there are potentially eight or nine Mormon films coming out between now and January," said Kurt Hale, director of "The Singles Ward," "The R.M." and "The Home Teachers," which opens Jan. 9. "So, I think this year is going to be a very interesting year, because not all of them will be successful -- and mine may be one of those."...
Cost-to-gross earnings for LDS-themed films
* Cost includes marketing costs; gross is U.S. box-office earnings
"The Singles Ward" (2002)
- Cost: $500,000
- Gross: $1.25 million
[EXCERPTS]
Here they come again. In the next month, three new entries in the genre known as Mormon Cinema -- movies made by LDS filmmakers and/or covering LDS themes -- will debut in Utah...
...More are coming down the pipeline. The makers of "The Singles Ward" will be back with "The Home Teachers" in January and a missionary comedy, "The Best Two Years," in February. A drama about Mormons fighting in World War II, "Saints and Soldiers," is now on the festival circuit...
...Crossing over has been of little concern to the people at HaleStorm Entertainment, whose LDS-exclusive comedies "The Singles Ward" and "The R.M." represent Mormon Cinema's second wave.
"It's so much easier to market to a niche," said Jed Ivie, publicist for HaleStorm. "We know where we can find them. We know where the LDS people are. We know where the stakes are."...
...("The Work and the Story" features another constant of LDS films: Kirby Heyborne, who starred in "The R.M.," appeared in "The Singles Ward" and has roles in "The Book of Mormon Movie" and "Saints and Soldiers.")...
[EXCERPT]
...In the real world, Dutcher HAS disappeared from the movie scene (though he is alive and well), not having made a film since 2001's "Brigham City." And in his absence, sure enough, the market has been flooded with films ranging from the OK ("Out of Step," "Charly") to the bad ("The Singles Ward," "Handcart")...
Grade: A-
Film sequels --- with the same cast, creators and essential plot ---- rarely live up to the promise of their predecessors. But "The R.M.," the second installment in Kurt Hale's series of Mormon-themed feature films, is a worthy exception.
Laugh-out-loud funny and with an engagingly sweet leading man, Kirby Heyborne, "The R.M." is better written, more entertaining, less preachy, and it appeals to a broader audience than Hale's original comedy "The Singles Ward."
"The R.M.," the acronym for a missionary who has returned from his (or her) two-year religious mission, isn't really a sequel to "The Singles Ward." It's more like a twin. It features many of the same actors (Heyborne played best pal to Will Swenson in the first film; their roles are reversed in "The R.M."), the same creative team and the same basic plot setup ---- a 20something Mormon man struggles with disappointment and the world's temptations before eventually finding happiness and fulfillment through his faith.
While "The Singles Ward" broke new ground artistically (and proved that even Mormons can laugh at themselves), the film was on the sappy side, particularly when Swenson's character went through a lengthy period of soul-searching.
By contrast, "The R.M." is almost continually funny and innocently irreverent, with fewer "in jokes" that only Mormons will understand. As a non-Mormon, I was often lost in the "Singles Ward" vernacular and didn't recognize the cameos by high-profile Mormons. But in "The R.M.," the humor is broader and more universal. And the church in-jokes this time are recognizable and hilarious to viewers of any denomination.
In "The R.M.," Jared Phelps (the sad-eyed, likable Heyborne) returns from his mission in Wyoming to a less-than-happy homecoming. No one is at the airport to greet him, his scatterbrained parents (Merrill Dodge and Tracy Ann Evans in loopy but warm performances) have moved to a new home (with their 10-odd children) without telling him, his car has been sold, his intended bride is engaged to someone else, the job promised to him upon his return has evaporated, his college application to Brigham Young University has been rejected and his bedroom has been taken over by a Tongan exchange student.
Moving from one disappointment to another, Jared stumbles through an assortment of mishaps and odd jobs, and very briefly courts the temptations offered by his lifelong best friend Kori (Swenson), a lapsed Mormon now swilling beers and pulling illegal pranks in a wild college fraternity.
Jared eventually meets Kelly (Britani Bateman), the daughter of an important Mormon elder, and things begin to fall into place for him emotionally, spiritually and professionally ---- but not before he's thrown in jail for one of Kori's pranks gone awry.
What's best about "The R.M." is its consistent delivery of laughs from beginning to end ---- like the Phelps family's creative use of food storage packages in their home, Jared's disastrous first date with Kelly, Mrs. Phelps' striving to impressive the church auxiliary with a chainsaw-crafted ice sculpture of the Mormon Tabernacle and Jared's ill-timed home teaching visits.
The film drags in its final 20 minutes with an overlong jail and trial segment, then it ends a bit abruptly, though on a comic high note. Like "The Singles Ward," "The R.M." has a plethora of stiffly acted cameos by famed Mormons (baseball player Wally Joyner, BYU football coach Gary Crowton, Olympic wrestler Rulon Gardner, and Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller) and a kooky character performance by stand-up comic Michael Birkeland as Jared's nutty, poodle-haired brother-in-law Duey (he was nerdy Hyrum in "Singles Ward").
"The Singles Ward" was the highest-grossing Mormon film ever made, and its per-screen average made it among the best-performing independent films released in 2002. Still, it played to an almost exclusively Mormon audience. In contrast, "The R.M." has the potential to stretch outside of that religious niche as a family values film that's as funny as it is wholesome.
[EXCERPT]
"Missionaries are what folklorists call a very high-context group," BYU English professor Jill Terry Rudy says. "No matter where they serve, they basically are on the same schedule and there is a lot of continuity in what they do every day. With that amount of continuity, missionaries develop common stories and language that are shared between missions."
That's why many missionary yarns have a familiar ring. The same stories, with minor changes, are told across the globe.
For instance, Adam Ingersoll swore that the rapist story happened in his Paraguay mission, until he heard an altered version in an LDS film.
"My senior companion told me about it and I believed him," the University of Utah freshman says. "Then I saw 'Singles Ward' and said, 'Oh, my heck.' "
[EXCERPT]
..."In the story [in 'The Work and the Story'] there are filmmakers who want to make a 'Book of Mormon' movie," Jones said. "They also have ideas about a movie that takes place in a singles ward. It is so much more relevant now that movies have been made on this subject."...
[EXCERPTS]
One of the greatest struggles and sacrifices for filmmakers trying to have success in LDS film is finding financing.
"It turns out that Mormons love their money just as much as other people do," said Richard Dutcher, the first filmmaker in the LDS film genre with "God's Army" and later "Brigham City."
Much of the money comes out of filmmakers' own pockets. Nathan Jones, director of "The Work and the Story," paid for nearly half of his $150,000 production costs himself.
LDS filmmakers don't usually have a lot of discretionary money to spend on their films and must rely heavily on independent investors, but investors didn't usually come without hard work.
It's hard to get funding because business school teaches people never to invest in films or restaurants, said Dave Hunter of Halestorm Entertainment who created "The Singles Ward" and "The RM."
When Halestorm was initially looking for investors, their only guarantee to them was that they'd lose all their money. With the success of "The Singles Ward," funding for "The RM" and "The Home Teachers," came much easier. They mainly get funding from the local rich LDS people.
It is not only rich people who invest. The investors for Gary Rogers, producer, director and writer of "The Book of Mormon Movie," are wealthy, but not rich. They are normal people with a little bit of discretionary money who would be hurt if they lost the money, Rogers said.
Investors sometimes come in the form of friends who believe in the producer's work. A few of Jones's friends from Los Angeles helped fund his project. He got $25,000 from one friend to allow him to shoot it on film and make it into a real production. He received varying amounts of money from other friends and he slowly got enough to fund the film.
"It really does take a village to make a movie," Jones said.
Filmmakers must work hard to get investors. They all want to see the details of the project and a business plan. They want to know that they'll get a return on their investment. Even if they enjoyed the concepts of the movie and laughed, many were still not willing to take a risk, Jones said...
...The actors in "Saints and Soldiers" were out of Little's budget range because most of them had been in Hollywood movies, sitcoms or LDS movies. Corbin Allred starred in "Teen Angel" on ABC and Kirby Heybourne starred in "The RM" and has also been in "The Singles Ward" and other up-coming LDS films. The LDS cast members wanted to do the project because it had the potential to reach further than just the LDS culture. They were willing to be paid at a discounted rate because they were excited about the project, Little said...
...Only two or three LDS films have actually been profitable, which means that the production companies have actually made money from them after other expenses are taken out. "God's Army," the first in the LDS film genre, made about $2 million gross. "The Singles Ward" made about $1.25 million gross and "The RM" is predicted to make a little more than that before its theater run is over.
Baggeley said that the main differences between those that are profitable and those that are not are their budget, distribution and promotion.
Those like "The Singles Ward" and "The RM" who target the LDS audience seem to do much better than those that try to make movies for both members and non-members, Baggely said...
A setting strewn with enormous beanbags and boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts, the offices of Halestorm Entertainment, Inc. are comfortable, to say the least.
With a moose head on the wall and the "Book of Mormon Burger" sign from "The R.M." well in view, Kurt Hale and Dave Hunter obviously believe work and play should coexist.
Hale and Hunter, the creators of popular Mormon comedies "The Singles Ward" and "The R.M.," run Halestorm Entertainment together.
Hunter, the co-executive producer of both "The Singles Ward" and "The R.M" soundtracks, said mothers are buying the CDs for their children.
"If your kids are going to listen to Limp Bizkit or whatever it is what they're going to listen to, you might as well have them listen to the hymns and enjoy it," Hunter said. "At least it has a positive message."
Hunter said of the 20,000 e-mails written about the soundtracks, only two were negative.
"Kurt and I are very conscious of what the sacred, sacred hymns are, like 'The Spirit of God'" Hunter said. "We won't touch those hymns."
Hunter said the "sacred" hymns Halestorm covered were handled in a very reverent way, using Maren Ord's "Where Can I Turn for Peace?" on "The R.M." soundtrack as an example.
"There's definitely a line we have to stop at," said Jed Ivie, director of publicity and media relations for Halestorm Entertainment. "Anytime we're singing about the Savior or the Atonement, anything that deals with ordinances, we don't see it as morally right to go and mix that around."
"We're not out there just to exploit every hymn," Ivie said. "We want to have fun, and yet we want to remember the sacredness of the [LDS] religion."
Ivie said musicians have a creative license to re-make hymns. He said he feels the same creative license does not apply to projects like the upcoming "The Book of Mormon Movie."
"I think it's a bit different when you start touching the scriptures," Ivie said.
Ivie said the soundtracks are promotion for the movies.
"They're just a great extra tool," he said.
A HaleStorm Entertainment, Inc. presentation in association with LDSSingles.com of a Linger Longer production. Produced by Dave Hunter. Executive producers, Kurt Hale, Dave Hunter. Directed by Kurt Hale. Screenplay, John Moyer, Kurt Hale.
Jonathan - Will Swenson
Cammie - Connie Young
Dallen - Kirby Heyborne
Eldon - Daryn Tufts
Hyrum - Michael Birkeland
Zak - Robert "Bob-o" Swenson
Allyson - Michelle Ainge
DeVerl - Lincoln Hoppe
Troy - Terance Edwards
Laura - Sedra Santos
Stacey - Gretchen Whalley
Brother Angel - Wally Joyner
Current Reviews... Harmless, fairly charmless romantic comedy about the perils of being young, single and Mormon, Kurt Hale's "The Singles Ward" has grossed just under $1 million after 6 months of very limited release in such Mormon-populous states as Idaho, Arizona and, naturally, Utah. Now expanding westward into California (where pic opens Sept. 13) just before a planned Oct. 8 video release, cloying effort is the latest -- but hardly the best -- exponent of the recent wave of films -- "God's Army," "Brigham City," "The Other Side of Heaven" -- made by, about, and predominately for Mormons. In the overwritten script by Hale and John Moyer -- in which many of the lines sound like rejected sitcom punchlines, overly extroverted standup comedian Jonathan (Will Swenson) recounts, via a series of grating first-person monologues delivered directly into the camera, the breakup of his one-year marriage and his subsequent re-immersion into the world of Mormon "singles wards" -- a prayer group consisting exclusively of unmarrieds which organizes dances and other social mixers.
Jonathan's divorce has soured him on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and its doctrine, and even introduced Mormon parody into his standup routines. But that all begins to change when he meets the bright and beautiful Cammie (Connie Young), activities director of his singles ward. Interminable montage sequences in which the budding lovebirds do cute/romantic things for one another, accompanied by a plethora of upbeat "Mormon rock" tunes, are followed by big fallings-out, as Jonathan finds himself ill-prepared for commitment, still stunted by his breakup, still tempted by the offerings of the secular world.
Swenson and Young are appropriately fresh-faced but they don't have any real romantic chemistry together, nor are they helped by the pedestrian scenes and dialogue. And the filmmakers, rather than trying to build some real wit or insight into their characters, are preoccupied with pic's raft of cameo appearances by Mormon luminaries, including filmmaker Richard Dutcher, ex-"Real World" castmate Julie Stoffer and a clutch of former athletes, including footballer Steve Young.
For the most part, pic -- produced in part by a Mormon online dating service -- is innocent and dull. The most risque behavior on display consists of drinking beer, renting R-rated movies and inhaling balloon helium. But at the same time, it's hard to know what audience the filmmakers were targeting. On the one hand, the movie is sprinkled with insular references that will undoubtedly be lost on non-Mormon audiences; on the other hand, pic stereotypes Mormons as unexciting, vaguely nerdy types with minimal social skills -- and by pic's end, the sole non-Mormon character, (a spiky-haired, nipple-pierced, tattooed delinquent,) becomes Mormon. Ultimately, "The Singles Ward" feels like a put-on -- a movie that does more to shroud real Mormon culture and lifestyles than to thoughtfully and inquisitively explore them in the way of, well, Richard Dutcher's films.
Pic is marked by the overreliance on source music and "clever" visual transitions. Tech credits are thoroughly undistinguished, even by micro-budget standards.
Camera (Deluxe color), Ryan Little; editor, Wynn Hougaard; music, Coy Hale; music supervisors, Andrew Mismash, Gerry Hart; art director, Bryan Stinson; set designer, Merrily Evans; set decorator, Kristi Labrum; costume designer, Julia Hunter; sound (Dolby), Steve Arron; sound designer, Michael McDonough; assistant director, Brian Brough; casting, Michelle Wright. Reviewed on videocassette, L.A., Sept. 5, 2002. MPAA Rating: PG. Running time: 101 MIN.
With: Steve Young, Danny Ainge, Thurl Bailey, Richard Dutcher, Julie Stoffer, Gordon Jump
Good-natured and innocuously wholesome, "The R.M." marks a reunion for the collaborators behind last year's similarly Mormon-themed "The Singles Ward," including writer-director-producer Kurt Hale, co-screenwriter John E. Moyer and actors Kirby Heyborne and Will Swenson. Pic, now expanding past its target religious niche audience in Utah and other states with large Latter Day Saints populations, should finish in the ballpark of "The Singles Ward's" $1.5 million domestic theatrical take, with brisk video biz to follow.
Pic's title is LDS patois for a "Returned Missionary," in this case a wide-eyed young lad named Jared (Heyborne), who sets out for his two years of mandatory church service certain that, upon his return, the life he left behind will be waiting for him. Two years later, though, no one remembers to greet him at the airport upon his return. Worse, his girlfriend (Erin M. Robert) has become engaged to another man, the company he worked for has gone out of business, and his family has sold his car and given his bedroom to a Tongan exchange student (Salt Lake City radio personality Leroy "Big Budah" Te'o). Post-mission life becomes something of, well, a living "heck." Having blown his life savings on an engagement ring he can't return, Jared tries his hand at a variety of odd jobs, from waitering to telemarketing -- all of which he fails at spectacularly. Meanwhile, he finds himself increasingly tempted by the wayward life embraced by best friend, Kori (Will Swenson). It's all enough to drive a man to drink, which in Jared's case means sidling up to a bar and ordering (gasp!) a Diet Coke. "The R.M." climaxes in a protracted and needlessly didactic courtroom sequence wherein Jared --implicated in one of Kori's fraternity pranks -- must decide whether to stick to his upstanding, truth-telling ways (even if it means possible jail time) or take the easy (but sinful) way out.
Pic ambles along as a string of hit-and-miss, loosely strung together comic episodes, much along the lines of "The Singles Ward," but with more universally accessible humor. Still, there's more than enough reference to Orin Hatch and Tonga (the New Zealand island that has long been a hotbed of LDS missionary activity) to keep the uninitiated scratching their heads, while offering pic's target audience intrinsic kitsch value.
"The R.M." reps an overall advance on "The Singles Ward," with Heyborne and Swenson continuing to make decent comic foils for each other as a kind of Mormon Martin & Lewis. And while pic's ultra-low budget and Hale's sitcom-esque directing style are conspicuous, they hardly cripple what is a fundamentally modest and self-effacing venture.
As in "The Singles Ward," pic's soundtrack is comprised almost exclusively of Mormon children's songs and religious hymns, performed by an assortment of name Mormon musical artists. As pic's press notes declaim: "Mixing the often-staid LDS/Christian church hymns with a modern rock beat really brings them to life." Who's to argue?
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...Despite tepid theatrical revenue, though, these [LDS Cinema] movies tend to make much or most of their money back in video sales. A publicist for Salt Lake City-based HaleStorm Entertainment, which produced "The R.M." and "The Singles Ward," said those films, although they each made more than $1 million in theaters, were especially made to make money on the home-video market...
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As the growing Mormon movie genre stumbles along, I'm still waiting for that knockout production that says: Yea verily, this truly captures the essence of Mormonism.
In hindsight, the best so far turns out to be "God's Army," with a nod to "Single's Ward" [sic] and "The R.M." for at least making LDS faithful laugh at themselves...
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...While this is a topic worthy of a roundtable discussion filled with critics and philosophers in turtleneck sweaters, the Mollywood machine steams on, pistons cranking. It seems that only a disaster of Titanic proportions will slow it down. (Like, for example, if "The Singles Ward," while being shown on an Atlantic cruise to thousands of people, caused the gigantic ship to burst into flames, run into an iceberg and sink.)...
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...And from the team who brought you "Singles Ward" and "The R.M." comes a third... "The Home Teachers."...
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...Mormon audiences will be glad to know HaleStorm Entertainment is releasing a straight-to-video stand-up comedy show titled "It's Latter-day Night," pun intended...
...Some comedians are better than other comedians and some jokes are funnier than other jokes, but everyone who watches the show will find humor at different times. If you liked "The Singles Ward" or "The R.M.," you'll enjoy this DVD.