The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

"MPAA - Rated PG for mild language and thematic elements" Are you kidding me?? The strongest language occurs in the hilariously dramatic scene where one character says "Uncle Will, you're being a butt!" (followed by gasps & horrified expressions).I just thought I'd use that example up front so you'd know what you're in for. "Sons of Provo" is a riotously satirical mockumentary about a Mormon boy band trying to find success in the Utah music scene. Although as one character points out "We're men. Um... which is kind of funny. Why is it a boy band? We should be a man band. I'll bring that up with them later."Not since "Spinal Tap" or the equally witty Christopher Guest music mockumentary "A Mighty Wind" have I heard such great lines. As with Christopher Guest's films, the humor comes from the absurdity and stupidity of clueless musicians. But here in "Sons of Provo" we get a double dose of absurdity due to the squeaky clean approach of characters bound by the strict moral code of the Church. For example, the guys dare to perform a rap song. In the next scene we see a terrified, hysterical girl in the parking lot waiting to be taken home because "rap doesn't come from a very holy place!"What's funny is, while taking satirical jabs like this, the film remains respectful of Mormon culture and never mocks them or anyone. Satire without sarcasm is a tough feat to pull off, but writer/director/actor Will Swenson (himself having been raised Mormon) pulls it off delightfully. The result is pure hilarity that's fun for everyone regardless of what culture, musical taste, faith or lack of faith you have.I counted at least half a dozen gags that are absolutely classic. Like in "Spinal Tap" remember the Stonehenge gag, the 11 gag, and so on? Here we have the same sort of memorable writing and funny deadpan delivery to immortalize some of these scenes in comedy history. You'll love the garage door gag, the ring gag, the malfunctioning microphone stand gag, the "you're being a butt" gag, and the list goes on. Immediately after finishing this movie (and wiping the tears of laughter from my face) I had to watch it again with the subtitles on so I could catch all the lyrics I had missed. Watch the deleted scenes & bloopers for even more hilarity (like the headset mic scene, OMG you'll be howling just like the actors were, hence ruining the take).Ever since "Spinal Tap", the first wildly successful music mockumentary, films have populated the genre with many great & many not-so-great efforts. I'm pleased to announce that "Sons of Provo" falls into the "great" category alongside other gems like "A Mighty Wind" (about folk musicians), "Razzle Dazzle" (about a girls' dance school) and "Anvil! The Story of Anvil" (a real-life heavy metal documentary that's as funny as fiction). If you see any of these films pop up on your radar, be sure to check them out immediately.

This is a film for all those who love the quirky, off beat humor of the mocumentary style. These guys are great! Talk about funny, and a great sense of timing-wow. If you love the T.V. show "the office" you will love this movie. Also great for fans of "Waiting for Guffman", as well as "Best in Show" etc. Funny and hip. I can't wait to check out some of the titles previewed on the DVD. If you are into this type of film, you will also love all of the bonus features. The movie starts with a hysterical monologue from one of the stars of the movie. It was so funny it took my wife and I 5 minutes to make a selection, we just kept watching and laughing. Check out the movie and the bonuses!!!

Sons of Provo is hilarious. It reminded me a lot of Spinal Tap--maybe the SOP guys can do just as good a commentary when their DVD comes out! The movie follows a boy band based in Provo, UT as they rise, albeit slightly, to some level of stardom (I'm guessing the stardom level should be considered in Utah artist terms). For a movie that was shot on such a small budget, it's interesting to see the amount of cast they are able to bring in for some of the concert scenes. The characters are enjoyable--especially Kirby Laybourne and Grayson. The movie's not perfect...but the soundtrack (which I hear is all original) really drives the movie and pushes it along. If you get a chance to see it...this one is worth the time.

In L.A., I went to a screening of this film (the first projection screening). I arrived just after it started and was surprised at the roars of laughter as I tried to find a seat. After I was seated and watched for a minute, I understood. The characters in this mockumentary were perfect in their innocence; you had to laugh at them. The humor in the dialog (much of it ad libbed) was honest and dry. It moves right along from one situation or gig (some of them real performances) to another, interspersed with interviews with peripheral characters. As a bonus, these guys can really sing. They even scored an interview with a member of the first boy band (at least in the opinion of Everclean).This film was made in Utah by people raised in Mormon families. Luckily, as the director said, Mormons do know how to laugh at themselves. I could not help laughing from the moment I sat down until the last credit rolled.First it was heavy metal, then folk, and now Mormon boy band. This is the next great music mockumentary.If you get a chance to see it, do. Don't miss it.