God Said, 'Ha!'

This movie is so much better than that junk that is coming out of Hollywood these days. I loved Julia Sweeney in this movie because it touched my heart with her tragic story of the loss of her beloved brother, and the unfortunate circumstance of having her parents as her house guests.

This is not really a "movie" but a monologue or stand-up semi-comedy (as far as you can make cancer funny). I've seen Julia in LA, and she is a fabulous comedienne and story-teller, no matter what the topic. Her imitation of various people and sense of the ridiculous make her charming. Unlike most comics, she's not trying to score points for being crude and shocking with profanity. A humorous recounting of everyday life and dysfunctionality and turning-points, elevating such things above the mundane for further reflection... you can't help but love her.

My only question is why Quentin Tarantino is listed as "cast." ?

Julia Sweeney is masterful at communicating her extraordinary ordeal when her brother was diagnosed with cancer. I found myself rivetted to the screen, despite the fact that this is not a traditional film. You feel as if you are listening to a friend recount a terrible nightmare. I was so engrossed in the story I didn't want it to end. A beautiful movie made much more powerful by the fact that it is true. Bravo, Julia Sweeney.

This is the filmed version of Julia Sweeney's intimate one-woman stage play about her family and how they coped when cancer struck two members within a year. It takes a humorous and very brave look at a very serious situation. "God said Ha!" is an intelligent, entertaining and involving film. The title is taken from a Get Well card a friend sent Sweeney.

. One warning. If "Porky's" is your idea of sophisticated humour, this is not the film for you. A modicum of intelligence and sensitivity is required.

. Executive producer Quentin Tarantino, makes a brief cameo appearance at the end.

This is a very cathartic film allowing someone who lost a loved one (her brother, Mike, who passed away from brain cancer), as well as her own Uterine Cancer that occurred as her brother was dying. She filmed four hours of film, and just let out all of her feelings with real heart and humor, and it was edited down to this loving tribute to her brother. I am not a Julia Sweeney fan, but when I first saw this film when it first came out it really meant a lot to me and it also helped me with losses in my life. This is a film in the same vein as Paul Linke's (Officer Arthur Grossman, from the TV Series "CHiPS"), tribute to his late wife, Francesca Draper, in his similar film "Time Flies When You're Alive" that appeared on HBO. Both films are very warm and loving reflections on loss of a dear loved one, both reflect the pain, the loss, and tasteful humor in dealing with such pain and loss. Both of these films I have recommended for years for those who are dealing with the dying or loss of a loved one. Even as a Chaplain, it is hard to deal with such loss myself... and both of these films have helped me personally.