Believe Me

This movie was very well written and directed. It doesn't tell you what to think, but leaves you thinking.

The trailer may cause you to think it is anti-Christian, but it is not. Lecrae is in it (#1 Christian Hip Hop Artist). On the other hand, some people are calling it a Christian film, but it is not (no alter call or come to Jesus moment).

Other reviews- NY Times -"a smart, sly comedy...about the power of platforms".

Indiewire -"…Will Bakke has crafted a hilariously smart religious satire".

Movieguide - "Christian satire done right".

Beliefnet- "Believe Me hits the right notes".

Be prepared to laugh out loud and have a good time.

Best to watch with a clear head as there are tons of little jokes that you might need to watch more than once to catch them all!

I personally really enjoyed Believe Me, but it won't have as much appeal to everybody. Much of the humor in this movie comes from the main characters trying to blend in with Christians, but if you aren't part of this type of Christian culture, some of the jokes won't make as much sense or could completely fly over your head. I'm pretty heavily involved with a college ministry, and so are my friends I watched this with, and most of us thought it was hilarious, largely because things they point out that are totally true about a lot of Christians in their 20s at this point in time, and much of it is ridiculous. However, I could easily see some Christians being offended by some of the humor.

That being said, there are still some points that will be funny to most audiences. Max Adler's character Baker is one of the funnier parts of this movie, and his interactions with Miles Fisher's Pierce are gems. Nick Offerman provides laughs, though his role is a small one. These aren't the only parts that general audiences could find funny, but they are some of the standouts.

One area where this movie separates itself from other Christian movies is that it isn't preachy. Yes, there are messages to be found, but you have to pick them out and think through them for yourself. This is not the type of movie that is designed just to make Christians feel good about themselves after watching it (they actually poke fun at those movies in one scene), but instead it takes a look at some real issues that are present inside modern Christian life, and could definitely be enjoyable for other audiences.

While I do believe most people could find some enjoyment in this movie, I would recommend it most highly to Christians ages 16-30 and those involved in ministries which really target that age group.

This movie was SO funny! I absolutely enjoyed watching it! I love the way it pokes fun at religion and makes you think about it. It was entertaining and thought provoking. For sure one of my new favorite movies. The cast is also incredible. Nick Offerman is one of my all time favorite actors and to see him in this made it that much better. And the fact that Alex Russell is in it doesn't hurt. He plays his character flawlessly and his looks aren't bad either. The cast, director and writers did a phenomenal job on this film. I highly recommend it to people of all walks of life. I don't know anyone who wouldn't find this move entertaining. GO SEE BELIEVE ME!

One criticism I have heard of this film is that it can't seem to make up its mind. Is it for or against Evangelicals? Do the ends really justify the means? What makes you a good person? What makes you a bad person?

Pictures are painted on both sides of the religious fence of both good and evil, just like in real life. Rarely do we find a perfect Christian, or an evil nonbeliever, but rather we live in a reality where often nothing is clear. Therein lies the beauty of the film- that it is authentic. In a world that wants to paint itself black and white, this film lives in the grey and forces the viewer to decide for themselves what is noble in life.

Presenting this question in a way that treats both sides fairly, or unfairly, depending on your leanings, is quite a feat. Furthermore, the fact that the film maintains a predominantly lighthearted tone with some truly zippy humor while presenting thoughtful conversation points results in a truly intriguing and enjoyable film.

No, this isn't a squeaky clean Christian film (but not vulgar either). I don't like the whole Christian genre because I'm a bit of a skeptic and most real Christian movies are way to cheesy and fake for me. But I did think this was a good film. I thought they really nailed the whole "Christian Culture"...studying the way they talk, the way they dress, in a really funny way. Yes, the movie had a "moral of the story" where they saw the err of their ways, but these guys were depicted in a true to life sort of way. I'm not a big churchgoer, but I've gone enough to know how accurate this film was. The movie sort of touched on how easy it is to take advantage of those who wholeheartedly expect the best in people. Yes, it was kind of sad, but in a funny kind of way. But all is well that ends well!