In God We Tru$t

This flick (one of the least-seen comedies EVER, I believe) tries to be, at once, a slapstick chase comedy, an offensive religious comedy, a leering sex comedy and an expose of evangelists who exploit the faith of their naive audiences! The results are uneven, but not horrible. Apart from the much-mentioned already Andy Kaufman, there is a standout performance by Louise Lasser, as a warm-hearted hooker. Richard Pryor, as God, is underused, though. (**)

While I didn't quite know how to take the film the first time I saw it, after viewing it three different times, and letting a lot of time pass, my ripening sense of humor absolutely adored the hilarious jabs at religion - primarily Christianity - in all its contemporary marketing in the U.S. The bumbling monk from the monastery who just isn't in touch with the real world but must learn how to deal with it; the itinerant preacher in a modified flivver with a steeple and amplified speaker driving around "enticing" money from the crowds he can gather on the street; and the glowing puffery of the TV evangelist - who has more evil behind him than the good he portrays to his public. GREAT HUMOR. Well acted by Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle and Andy Kaufman. Contains a very interesting twist.

This Feldman production is not the greatest comedy ever made, but Feldman co-wrote, directed, and starred in this Feldman-at-the-Helm vehicle. It truly showcases his talents as no other movie before it had.

While it does attempt to do too much, the attempt is not a waste. Feldman merely aimed his sights at Blazing Saddles and made the attempt. It pokes fun at Christians and all organized religion, the pop-culture of the time, contemporary ideologies, the action-driven cop shows of the age, and itself. This is one of those wonderful movies which knows it's a movie and never takes itself too seriously.

Feldman is Father Ambrose is the outcast of the monastery. When the archdiocese decides they must have more money from the outside world, or shut its doors, Father Ambrose is chosen to leave the familiar world of hard benches and stone floors, and venture out in search of their salvation. Ironic in that "salvation" is supposed to be their specialty.

There are some wonderful cameos by Richard Pryor as God, Andy Kauffman, and Peter Boyle.

Along the way, Ambrose discovers what he's been missing out on all those years cloistered in a hermetic order, and processes new information which enables him to rethink his choice from an informed perspective. He finds laughter; he finds that while men are corrupt, MAN is decent at heart; and he finds himself. All in all a very endearing, if dated, work.

It rates a 6.6/10 from...

the Fiend :.

Marty Feldman plays a meek monk who emerges from the monastery he's lived in all his life to get the money needed to save it. He travels to the big city and meets a number of characters who are obsessed with religion, money, or both. This movie manages to show devotion, delusion and hypocrisy with clarity and, yes, grace, while providing plenty of laughs. Blessed are the meek, for they get off easy in this one; the greedy and vicious are not so lucky. Andy Kaufman's performance as Armageddon T. Thunderbird is brilliant, chilling, and not to be missed.

As so often, the IMDb voter average is nothing to go by, in terms of seeking quality. However, in the case of this very funny, even somewhat clever, comedy the 4.6 average is a joke. The reason for it is obvious: many people who have never seen the movie but heard about it and what it's about decided to hate it without giving it a chance.

IGWT is quite an offensive movie to believers, and anyone who is strongly Christian (or of any other religious persuasion) should not only avoid this movie, but pray to his God that He burn all copies of it.

Although, the movie mocks the commercialization of religion far more than Christianity itself.

As an atheist, I loved this movie and recommend it to all agnostics, other atheists, Christianity-haters, but also Christians who can take a joke. Provided, of course, that you don't mind raunchy, irreverent humour.

Feldman is quite weird playing an ultra-naive do-gooder monk who has never been outside his monastery. The premise alone makes one curious to see the film. The supporting cast is very good, too (Boyle, Kaufman, etc.).

Obviously not as good as the almost flawless mother of all religion-bashing films, "Life Of Brian", but with plenty of good and wicked gags at the expense of religion.

There is criticism that IGWT was just a cashing-in reaction to Monty Python's Jesus movie, but who cares if it was? There are plenty of movies that support religion, so another (good) comedy that goes in the opposite direction really can't hurt.