Thanks for the memories!

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

For one time that an American movie shows a bit of originality, it's finally destroyed by an awful production ! First, it's a acid comedy about faith which is always helpful for the audience instead to be brainwashed by silly blockbusters. In addition, for a french guy like me, it's a real opportunity as french producers just don't wan't to do movies about this kind of movies ! Next, all the characters are finely fleshed and the casting has found some great names to play them : Jennifer, cool and cunning James Bond n°5, grumpy Ed Harris and other known faces… Next, the thematic and its players are synthesized into a crazy story, full of surprises and funny twists !Unfortunately, all this is lost in the production ! Like most American movies since 2010, this one abuses the famous ugly Blue / Orange color scheme ! The cinematography relies on those two disgusting choices and the props and wardrobes used them too. So we are left with a smurfs movie or too much tanned people living in a blue / orange world ! It's everywhere, every time for everything or everyone and the pleasure a good « Technicolor » movie is gone ! Thus, it's a pity that such bad taste is left unnoticed as it's become an anti-watching tool that kills too many good movies !

Especially if they are religious. Of course if you really look close into the movie, you could also make the case that this might actually be quite good to religion. Or to those who believe in God that is. You can always read things into it, if you are willing to. I think one should be open minded to movies like this. It's not really offensive. Men (and women) are weak, that's just the way it is.Plus the cast is phenomenal! Every role is a name actor, even if it's the smallest, it seems they got someone with value. When Jim Gaffigan is the least known (a really good comedian), than you know you have hit the jackpot. You might argue that some characters are not really drawn all that well or thorough, but there is only limited time. While they could've done some things better, that is something you can always say about a movie

I suppose the programmers at SIFF had thought this film, with its star power in Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connelly and Marisa Tomei could probably pull in the crowds, but it was a bet got wrong with only a handful turning up for the screening at Lido 4, which seats hundreds. Maybe it's also because of the subject matter in its handling of religion, since the principal antagonist happens to be a man of religion, that may have detracted believers. Whatever the case is, it's a film to be seen if only to watch how director George Ratliff, whose previous film was about the devil in a child Joshua, tackles a similar theme this time with the wolf in sheep's clothing, but laced with plenty of black humour.Greg Kinnear stars as Carl Venderveer, a born again Christian thanks to his fanatically religious wife Gwen (Connelly) and her dad Joe (Ciaran Hinds), congregation of the charismatic evangelist Dan Day (Brosnan), a renowned preacher with many bestsellers to his name, though with followers like that it's not hard to not understand why his books shoot to the top of the bestsellers chart. We first meet Dan in a public debate with another bestselling author, atheist Dr Paul Blaylock (Ed Harris), where the first few minutes were engaging stuff, the kind where you put a cat and a dog in a room, and wait to observe massive fireworks due to differing beliefs.Invited by the Professor to have a bonding session after their public debate, Dan brings along Carl since he had used the latter to resounding success as an example during one of his rebuttals, and here's where motivations are clearly peeled away to show one's inner, rotten core. There's nothing like profits to line their pockets, especially when Blaylock proposes that he and Dan join forces to write the mother of all books, if not for Dan to accidentally shoot Blaylock in the head from a pistol, thereby making him a killer, with Carl as the unwitting witness. That is of course until Dan Day starts to use his street smarts, his crookedness and basically kneeling down before the devil to pin everything on Carl, with help coming from blind faith believer Jerry Hobson (Jim Gaffigan) to do his dirty work.There's clearly no mincing of the words here when in George Ratliff (also the director) and Douglas Stone's screenplay, based on the novel by Larry Beinhart, where Dan Day is truly the false prophet and wolf in sheep's clothing, almost always ready to pounce on opportunities for money, flesh, and to keep his reputation pristine. Getting rid of Carl serves many points, which for starters means a chance to get close to Carl's wife Gwen whom he clearly has the hots for, if not for her father to continuously pester him to implement an idea in his up and coming faith-based real estate community (ka-ching the cash registers go). Pierce Brosnan plays this role with aplomb, and with his suave good looks it's easy to understand why his female congregation will all go crazy for him.It's a tale of what anyone would do in order to ensure self-preservation, and Greg Kinnear's role as Carl, the man on the run as he's being accused and character assassinated, making it worst with family not believing him save for his daughter Angie (Isabelle Fuhrman of The Orphan fame). In a way what happens to Carl en route to clearly his name is nothing more than a higher supreme being protecting him at every step of his misadventures, and having a sense of humour while protecting him, such as putting Marisa Tomei's bit role of a hippie security guard in his way and clearly nursing a crush from a long time ago. Mistakes get made, more supporting characters get thrown in the mix especially when a Mexican mobster sees Carl as a conduit to blackmail Dan Day, and everything just leads to a mess, though narratively George Ratcliff has a clear, precise handling of situations that just makes this one fine, entertaining film even though it does get a little heavy in the opening debate (best scene of the film) as it draws some parallels to real life situations where those in power and commanding an audience, should they be crooked, will spell the doom and gloom for their followers if only the latter can open their eyes and minds and not believe everything verbatim and blindly. But I guess that's why it's called Faith. Recommended!

Salvation Boulevard is a star packed ensemble "dramedy" based loosely on Larry Beinhart's novel of the same title. Greg Kinnear plays Carl, a former "deadhead" (followers of the band Grateful Dead) who has settled into a nice quite life with his uptight and super religious wife Gwen, played by Jennifer Connelly. Gwen religiously attends the Church of the Third Millennium which is led by the charismatic Pastor Dan Day, played by Pierce Brosnan. Having enraptured the town with his holy message, Day sustains a small empire for himself made out of an adoring congregation that worships him like a prophet. With an ego of the size of Jesus' cross, Day aspires to build a "city upon a hill", a planned and private community, complete with a school and hospital. Not only will this provide a safe and convenient sanctuary for God's worshipers but as the chief developer of this colossal undertaking Day stands to make a healthy sum of money.However, the meeting of renown atheist extraordinaire Dr. Paul Blaylock, played by Ed Harris, puts it all at risk. After a public philosophical debate, Blaylock and Pastor Day retire to Blaylock's office for a friendly nightcap. Carl tags along to the meeting as Day's newly evangelized prize. Here a genial discussion about a joint book venture turns awry when Day accidentally shoots Blaylock in the head with an antique pistol.In a moment of panic, the Pastor disguises the incident as a suicide attempt with Carl in the room as seemingly the only witness to Day's deceit. Carl's life then spirals into disaster as not only do his wife and closest friends not believe his truthful story but there are others trying to kidnap and frame him. Salvation Boulevard's story line has a similar feel to that of the Coen Brother's film The Big Lebowski [1998]. Like "the Dude" in The Big Lebowski, Carl plays a very passive protagonist who gets caught up in mortal danger through no fault of his own. He is seemingly moved from precarious situation to the next by all forces other than himself. Carl passivity is contrasted by the outrageous antics of the characters that surround him. Pierce Brosnan with his good looks, deep voice and smooth command of language personifies an excellent slimy and manipulative pastor. As Day's ego and paranoia grow throughout the film so does Brosnan's comedic affect as he literally starts to believe the devil is after him.With such a wealth of idiosyncratic characters Salvation Boulevard was able to attract a large award winning cast, including Marisa Tomei who plays a free spirited security guard. Jennifer Connelly and Jim Gaffigan play Day's fanatical and easily persuaded followers. Some would say these characters are a cruel misrepresentation of the Evangelical community. They may have a point, but taking this comedic movie too personally deprives the viewer from finding all the comical religious Easter eggs in the film. One of which is a building with devilish horns on the roof where Carl is taken to by Day's zealots. The laughs in Salvation Boulevard are not gut busters but are subtlety sprinkled throughout the film. On the down, this film has a less than satisfying ending and seems to end abruptly. The side characters don't get endings that are worthy over their performances. Instead they are given in the form of text. An extra ten minutes might have wrapped the film in a more imprinting manner. Salvation Boulevard is layered with jokes that lie not only in th dialogue and action but also in the art direction and cinematography, giving the film the rare quality of finding something new every time you watch it. Unfortunately, this film will probably go under appreciated as critics have slammed it for its obvious slant against Evangelical Christians. However, I have faith that in time Salvation Boulevard will find its audience, but they probably won't be as devoted as your average "deadhead". 7 out of 10 This Film is not for: -People who don't find mocking religion funny-People who have no interest in religion