उपयोगकर्ता समीक्षाएं

The start of, and perhaps, the definitive work thus far with regards to the fledgling "Mormon cinema" movement, God's Army is an honest and worthy cinematic effort. Writer/Director/Actor/Producer Richard Dutcher tells a story he really beliefs in with honesty and passion, and although the acting and production value of the film are not up to par with his subsequent effort, Brigham City, the integrity of the film makes it far more enjoyable and far more appealing. With reference to the other works within "Mormon cinema" including Singles Ward, Brigham City and Out of Step, God's Army stands tall in comparison, the quality perhaps being reflected in a boxoffice take more than twice it's closest competitor. Singles Ward and Out of Step in particular are cheap, easy and unimaginative swill churned out to an eager, but small, target audience of Mormons starved of entertainment they can reallly call their own. These films pander to the lowest common denominator, whereas God's Army

attempts to rise above purely Mormon culture and give the world a taste of what it is like to serve a higher and unseen entity - relying purely on faith, as an insecure, young, and unlearned youth.

I'll grant that this movie was not as bad as I expected. I greatly admire Dutcher's making a movie on his own terms, because in these PC times, the typical response to movie stereotypes is to complain about them and not do anything. Making your own movie as an answer to them must have taken great guts. But as a rationalist, I have to say this movie is just propaganda. Dutcher also gets credit for bringing up some of the logical criticisms of the book of Mormon, but then he just dismisses them with hand waving and ridiculous justifications ("sometimes I think God gives us a few hundred reasons to believe, and just throws in a couple not to, so that we can choose for ourselves"). Ultimately, the movie decides that the issues that Elder Kinegar brings up don't really matter, as far as rational discussion - all that matters is when you want to believe so bad, go through so much mental anguish about it, until you experience a moment of insanity when you just "know" you're right. The movie also helped me realize how seemingly intelligent people can continue to not only believe in the religion, not only go on a mission, but even PAY the church to go on your mission: when you sacrifice so much.. so much of yourself, so much of your freedom, so much of your dignity, so much of your rational skepticism, then you just HAVE to believe in it to avoid the heart wrenching disappointment that would come when you realized your entire set of beliefs is absurd. Of course, you cannot deny this.. you can pretend to, you can never mention your doubts to other people, you can try to turn your brain off - that's why Utah is the Prozac capital of the world. At the end of the movie, the main character says he never found out what happened to Elder Kinegar. I know what happened to him, the same thing that happened to all my friends who are recovering Mormons - he felt a huge weight lifted from his shoulders when he left the church, then he went on to enjoy life, and wondered how he could ever have deluded himself so much as to waste so many years of his life in the church.

Let me first say that I am not a member of the LDS church. In fact I am agnostic. I recommend that if you are Mormon, you skip over this review.

I enjoyed watching this film. The way you enjoy listening to a lecture about an ancient civilization. The story is very simply about Mormon missionaries, with subplots that have varying degrees of creditability. This film is not a sanitized, sugar coated view of missionary life (aside from an obvious lack of profanity from those who slam the door in the face of missionaries). In fact, the opening scene of the movie consists of a drive through LA. Along the way you see tattoo parlors, strip clubs, and cops in the process of arresting a criminal. This film even contains a pair of prostitutes (don't get to excited, there is nothing going on).

The films main character is Elder Brandon Allen, a 19-year-old kid from Kansas. Allen is confused about the purpose of his mission and is struggling with the collapse of his family (his mom is leaving the church and his step-dad who brought him into the church is in prison for molesting children). Brandon's companion is Elder Dalton (played very well by director Richard Dutcher), a 29-year-old missionary who is dying of brain cancer. The relationship that develops between Allen and Dalton is predictable, but at the same time has the feel of realism.

There are a few scenes where we see the two missionaries attempting to share their religion with other, usually with the cliché reaction.

One thing that pleased me about this movie was the definite lack of religious ideas. Sure the missionaries pray and talk about God, but we are never given any real insight in to the fundamental ideals of Mormonism. In fact the film seem so devoid of these ideals that you get the impression that Dutcher was intentionally leaving them out. Perhaps because the majority of the audience will already know them and because the "others" don't need to hear them presented by this medium.

At times, God's Army starts to feel like an anti-Mormon movie. There is even a missionary who is reading books that question the validity of the ideas in the Book of Mormon.

The down points of this film include a under developed relationship between Allen and a female missionary. This relationship almost feels obligatory.

I was very drawn into the movie right up until the final 20 minutes. Dutcher ends the film in a way that is clearly intended to satisfy the Mormons.

If you like independent film and have an open mind, I would recommend seeing God's Army. If you like to go to a movie strictly for entertainment and don't like to think about what you're watching, you might want to skip this one.

If there was ever a movie that accurately described LDS missionary life, it's this one. One of the reasons that I liked this movie, is because I could identify with a lot of the experiences, i.e. The pictures on the toilet, the cockroach family tree, etc. I could also identify with the times that he didn't want to be on his mission. There were plenty of those times for me. As an LDS missionary I definitely could appreciate the attitude of the movie. Some people say that it offends them, and it doesn't accurately portray LDS missionaries, but having been on one myself, It does.

LDS missionaries aren't all about being strict and serious 24/7. They are out to share their beliefs with others who want to know, because they believe it as well. I admire Richard Dutcher for taking a stand and being the first to produce a movie that tells the public what missionaries do, and what they go through. He's opened a whole new world to movie-goers.

God's Army is what young Matthew Brown from Kansas has signed up for. He's doing his missionary thing for the Mormon Church and he's been assigned to the mean streets of Los Angeles. Moving in with his Mormon mates, Brown finds himself assigned to a really older elder. At 29 you don't go out on missions for the church, that's a younger person's thing, at 19 Brown is the right age for it. But Richard Dutcher who should be settled and married and making little LDS babies to grow the church as opposed to making converts which is the hard way has a special reason for doing the mission thing at an advanced age.

Dutcher and Brown really don't hit it off, he acts like a drill sergeant in God's Army. Still the two of them have their shared experiences which is all to the good and both learn from each other.

Dutcher is the producer, director, writer, and star of his own film and he brought in a nice one that not too many folks who are not members of the Mormon Church can appreciate. As in a couple of other LDS member produced items, I do appreciate the insights into what these missionary kids go through and how they interact with each other away from outsiders like myself.

This one is good for Mormon audiences and if you have an open mind an outsider can like it as well.

If anyone had dared suggest that I could sit through 104 minutes of 20-something youths trying to convert people around Los Angeles to the Mormon church, I would have snickered. But I did sit through it and loved it.

The motives driving these young men gradually become apparent, but at no time are the religious aspects of the film overbearing to a non-Mormon (I am a Unitarian and am extremely sensitive to propagandizing or proselytizing) At the end of the movie, the viewer has a understanding of and respect for the beliefs the missionaries are trying to instill in others.

Most appealing is the gentle humor when the real world of Los Angeles comes in conflict with the Mormons' beliefs. One scene is priceless -- the harried father, two children screaming, his wife yelling, who is being assured by the Mormon missionaries that the family is eternal.

This film is well off the beaten cinema path -- if religion is not central to your life but you enjoy well written, well directed drama, God's Army is for you.

A dull stroll through the banalities of Mormon prosthelatizing. Utterly un-funny. A testament to the widely held theory, that in order for bathroom humor to be funny, it must necessarily be vulgar; it also bolsters the claim that a close relationship with Jesus makes you not funny. More propaganda than film, don't worry about any touchy social issues coming up at the dinner table after this one. The saving grace of this movie is its accurate portrayal of young Mormon females as particularly attractive. Oh well, its your $7.50.

I saw "God's Army" with my wife, who is not a member of the Mormon church. We both loved this movie, but for different reasons... That's the mark of good film-making.

This was truly an entertaining and informative movie. The movie accurately depicts the experience of an LDS mission. Having been on a mission myself, revelled in the chance to relive those choice moments that are now difficult to remember, and even more difficult to put into words. The acting was good, the writing great, and subject matter priceless! Throughout most of the movie, I forgot I was watching actors.

While I felt this was a movie about Mormons, for Mormons, it was so well done that it could have more broad appeal. My wife who is not Mormon, and knows little about my mission, really enjoyed the characters and their development.

I hope this movie does well, encouraging not just Richard Dutcher, but other filmmakers to make more movies of this kind. Big thanks to everyone who made this movie possible!

Okay, I sensed that a film by Mormons, about Mormons, for Mormons would be a disaster waiting to happen, but little did I know how so very painful it would be. A little known fact is that Mormons have always made exceptionally fine propaganda films. The Church's official cinematic campaign has produced rare and lasting gems that transcend the Mormon community, including the wonderful short film "Cipher in the Snow" which ended up making the rounds as an educational film in the late 70's. Then there's Neil LaBute's disturbingly masterful ouvre....

However, the success of these films depended largely on the fact that they didn't focus on Mormons or any specific Mormon theology. Instead they opt to focus on a universal theme and deal with it on a basic human level. "God's Army" abandons any pretext of universality and runs headlong into the stilted and myopic world of the orthodox. While this might be enough to alienate anyone but the most devoted Mormon, director Richard Ductcher's ineptitude as a filmmaker and his juvenile approach to storytelling are sufficient grounds to judge "God's Army" unwatchable by almost any standard.

Dutcher's own appallingly wooden acting sets the tone for his army of the least interesting Mormons you're ever likely to meet. Of course the cast's sorry performances aren't helped any by Dutcher's pathetic script. He should be given credit for not avoiding some of the more controversial aspects of the Church, but, as can be expected, he conveniently frames these controversies in a sympathetic light. It should also come as no surprise that most of the answers to the Church's darker side are addressed with little other than faith. At one point an African-American missionary is scolded by a black couple for joining a church that was segregated up until 1978 (some ten to twenty years after nearly every congregation in the most degenerate parts of the deep South had already done so). Instead of addressing the Church's actively racist history, perhaps the sorest spot in Mormon theology which even Church leaders don't defend anymore, Dutcher's troubled character instead ponders Joseph Smith's murder--an obvious and perhaps outrageous allusion to lynching. Top off this syruppy milktoast with third grader leper jokes passing as comic relief and you have a strong case for the revival of silent films.

If you knew little about Mormons before watching this film, you might become prone to avoiding them at all costs. If you are Mormon, this film offers absolutely nothing to be proud about.

This movie has a look and feel of many "Fresh" directors (closeups and focus on the emotions being experienced by the actors). The point of the film was presented from many angles and expressed well by the relatively inexperienced cast. The point being "Have faith in Jesus Christ and the Morman Church" Oh, and if you read or hear anything contrary to the teachings of the Prophet, it is just Haterade. (Fuel for Hatred)

I had a chance to see a screening in Utah with Richard Dutcher. He said that he made the film for the LDS community so they could see a bit of themselves on screen in an entertaining way. After having seen the movie, I agree that is what he accomplished.

For a Mormon to wade through movies where they are portrayed as rustics, idiots or laughing-stocks (My Five Wives, or Orgazmo, anyone?) is tiring. For a Mormon to wade through other movies about people who act immorally (in their view) and are praised in the movie for it (any action film, and many romances) is equally tiring or even offensive. He thought 5 million Mormons in the US wanted to see something different. He was right.

He did not make the film to proselytize to non-mormons, address or explain "issues" about the Mormon church, teach doctrinal points or any other such thing. Anyone saying otherwise probably missed the entire "raison d'etre" of the movie.

The plot was a bit more formulaic than one might like, but less so than any "Action movie blockbuster" of the year (For example, did anyone really *wonder* how the plot of "Gladiator" would develop?).

The acting was solid. That's pretty suprising for essentially an indy. Dutcher said that only a few of the actors were Mormon, but they were convincingly Mormon. The dialog was good and too jargon-filled for any non-mormon to follow 100%. It wasn't the movie's intent to provide explanations for these things. If you need a glossary for the movie, ask the target audience. The music was well done, contributed to the movie without being to obtrusive. The production was very professional, even considering it was done on a shoestring budget and shot in less than 3(?) weeks.

Compared to such high-profile stinkers as the Blair Witch Project, this movie was masterpiece. Compared to a masterpiece, it was good, not stellar but good.

That's my $.02 opinion. Take it for what it is.

N.

P.S. For those who wonder if the movie is a "realistic" portrayal of Mormon missionary life, the answer is "yes, it is inasmuch as a 108 minute movie can do."

It would be honest to say first that I'm LDS and a returned missionary. I am one of those that has been waiting many years for "God's Army". A movie that does not proselitize, does not explain doctrine or portraits us as "perfect and beautiful". It shows reality, it shows people that have reached their own testimonies, people struggling to understand their faith, and people attracted to find answers in the writings of the anti-mormons. It shows one big true: the real answers must come from inside, rather than people that have or not have the faith. It is inspiring to observe Elder Allen's gradual change into religious maturity, knowing for himself. Very well portraited: no thunder or lightning involved, just the time spent alone with God. The experiences in the mission field are so realistic that anybody who was in a mission could relate to them. Give me 20 or 30 returned missionaries and we can put together all of them and more. The healing miracle... When I saw the film I knew that this could bring controversy, even among LDS people. Then I thought: Why not? Miracles like this happen every day in the world. I've seen it myself. Again, why not? Is was totally justified and possible for somebody that strives for doing the right thing. It is possible, like knowing about the coming of your own death. For all those criticize the lack of some doctrinal answers, I say that this is not the place to look for them. This is a movie about people, not about doctrine. It shows an aspect of the mormon culture, and it is very well done. I wait for more.

Fer

Rising star Mormon auteur/actor Dutcher's breakthrough film "God's Army" tells of a group of Los Angeles based door-to-door religion peddlers. A shoestring indie with obvious low budgetness and inescapable nonsequiturs, the film manages a sense of earnestness as it shows the cell of young male LDS missionaries struggling with issues of faith, converting, healing, and getting lots of doors slammed in their faces. A somewhat interesting and marginally entertaining watch for anyone who ever wondered what's up with those annoying my-religion-is-better-than-your-religion LDS door knockers. (C+)

I think that God's Army was good. There are lots of different emotions you get out of this movie whether or not you belong to the Mormon faith or not. It can be a controversial movie at times. It think Dutcher did a very good job at telling this story. How else could he have portrayed Mormons without getting too deep in religious battles or having too monotone to watch? It is a very difficult job at making a religious movie (esp. about Mormons) in this day of age. It you want to see what Mormonism is basically about, see God's Army. (And go with an open mind, it will help).

Director / lead actor Dutcher revels in this look-at-me film, wherein he attempts to gain worldly acceptance for tarnishing the otherwise very upbeat world of Mormon missionaries. Some of the acting is fair. But some roles are unrealistic, i.e. the ominous (rather than fatherly) Mission President, etc. The film does give a fair look at how some missionaries may struggle with their faith, but the actual missionary program he claims to represent is far from his concept of it, in terms of being upbeat, cohesive, and inspired. The only inspiration I see in this film is Dutcher's self-inspiration. The film is slow and boring, and the shooting and screenplay look like a college student project.

I went to this movie thinking that is was going to be nothing more than a mushy, Mormon's only - feel good movie, but man was I surprised. While it is true that the vocabulary includes a lot of terminology unique to the Mormon religion, I felt that through the actions and context of the scenes the message was extremely well presented.

This is a touching movie that can appeal to all types. I thought it did a good job of explaining the whole missionary experience in general regardless of whether or not you are a Mormon. It gave a realistic look into the lives of these young men, and stayed true to the idea of actual missionary work, by presenting them as real people out there trying to bless the lives of other real people. I liked that. It felt like a real experience, like being part of the story...that impressed me. Throughout the whole movie you sympathize with the characters and can't wait to see what happens to them next.

First off, I am obviously not a Mormon, but I also don't have any prejudice against Mormons. The movie was good as a drama. It had it's funny parts and it had it sad parts, just like you would expect from any solid drama - and I have to admit as a drama it WAS solid.

However, as a non-Mormon I naturally DIDN'T watch this movie because I wanted to see a generic Drama... I was watching this movie hoping to learn more about Mormons. But the thing is, the whole point of this movie seems to have been to portray Mormons in a realistic way. As normal human beings, with normal problems, normal fears, normal weaknesses but of course with equally normal human strengths, and normal human compassion. As such the movie might as well have not been about Mormons at all, but just as well about any other ordinary Americans.

As such I was kinda disappointed. I was hoping I would learn what made Mormons unique, instead I only learned what made them ordinary. And since I neither regarded them as saints nor as devils, them being ordinary isn't really that much of a surprise to me.

Instead I was hoping the movie would answer some of the questions I had regarding Mormons, like for example how they would deal with someone who brings up the argument that native Americans are not descendants of middle eastern Europeans and that this has been proved through DNA testing. Since there are no Mormons in my area (I live in Europe - so the whole "Did you know that Jesus came to America?" thing doesn't really get people's attention here) I would have been interested in hearing their answer to those issues, since so far I was only able to hear the accusations of their critics, but not how the Mormons would respond to it. And in the beginning it looked like I was in the right movie, since the movie started raising those questions right from the start, but instead of answering those questions and having the Mormons in the movie really respond to those issues, they just raise the questions, and then drop them unanswered in mid air. The only response to the criticisms that we get from the Mormons in the movie is either to totally devastate their believe to the point that they themselves quit being Mormons, or they manage to stay Mormons by totally ignoring everything that is questionable and simply categorically calling everything that is questioning the Mormons historical accuracy "garbage" and lies, throwing books by critics in the trash and throwing the kitchen table over in a rage if somebody leaves because of "the garbage" like the Mormons in this movie did.

Since I never met Mormons, I don't know if they are really like that. But I would like to think that in real life they are not like this and that they won't get in rage and have some perfectly logical explanation for all those critics out there , and that the movie is at fault for portraying them wrong... I would like to think that... but only having this movie to rely on and living in a place without any Mormons, I guess I will never know now.

Some of the reviewers seem to have expected a movie that preaches mormonism. That is not what this movie appears to be. It is simply a snapshot of people's lives, living in a very unusual way in modern times. The characters seem real, the situations mostly non-contrived, and the writing is good.

This is just as much a movie about Mormons as Witness was a movie about the Amish. You get a glimpse into their lives and a small taste of what they believe and do, but the story is the important part.

Dutcher has stated that his purpose was to make movies for the mormon market, and if other people enjoyed them then that was ok. While it can be a little rough around the edges, it is a fine piece of independent cinema, and a joy to watch.

I really enjoyed it and I am looking forward to Dutcher's next effort, The Prophet, the story of the mormon prophet Joseph Smith. He is an interesting character and lived an interesting life, whether you believe he was a prophet or not.

"God's Army" is a landmark film. It's been compared to Sly Stallone's "Rocky" in terms of Richard Dutcher's "out-of-nowhere", one-man effort as Producer/director/writer/actor, and that is certainly remarkable, but it impressed me in it's ability to chronicle life accurately and believably. I emphasize believability because accuracy is easy, but making a film believable to the point where you don't see actors, but real people, and especially to be able to identify with those people and feel what they're feeling--that is film-making at its best. Richard Dutcher has done that for me, and everyone else I know who's seen the film, including those who haven't served LDS missions. I can't be sure how it would be experienced by a non-LDS audience--hard to analyze since I've been LDS since age 17. The film is pretty much an insider's view, but Dutcher has included subtle clues for the uninitiated throughout the film, and I believe it will work for those audiences as well.

If there's a weakness in this film, it's the over-used, out-of-the-blue voice-over of lead-character-as-narrator ending, with the enumeration of how everyone ended up. I'm willing to forgive the cliche, as it seems to serve a purpose here, emphasizing that just as missionaries aren't perfect, good missionaries don't necessarily persist in "doing good".

What I detect and admire in Mr. Dutcher is a talent for portraying LIFE, not just LDS missionary life. Here's hoping this is the first of many films.

As returned missionaries, my wife and I went into the theater with some apprehension about how LDS-Missionary Life would be portrayed. What we experienced was truth and light. The director (who we met after the showing) did a great job with the subject matter in a truthful and diplomatic way. An LDS Mission is not two solid years of bliss, but it isn't two years of wading through swamps, either. The film shows a truthful balance of the good and the bad. Even if you are not LDS, please see this film. You'll be glad you did. Favourite part: When the missionaries arrive at "Sister Abinadi" and her friend's door.

Overall, I felt it was a good movie, especially for being the first entry in its field and its limited budget. There were some things that didn't seem appropriate at first, but when seen in the context of the whole movie, make sense. And that's the way it is with the plan of salvation. Not everything makes sense or even seems appropriate, or OK at first, but in the big picture it all works out. Perhaps it would have helped if the actors really knew what their characters portrayed--since only about ten percent of the cast were members of the Church. Some things can't be acted. However, the film was well done and watchable. The story was not just the eye candy which only allows two or three viewings as is the case in many of today's pictures, but a real story with many subtle points which would make it viewable many times. Kudos to Richard Dutcher. This is what real cinema is about.

I attended an open house for the recently completed 97th Mormon Temple and was once again impressed by these 'true believers' - men and women of steadfast religious conviction (some would say, the product of communal brainwashing). But judging by "God's Army", an honest and down-to-earth depiction about Mormon conversion, you have to say the young members are far from being willing robots, ready to accept their faith. It took a lot of guts for writer, director, and star Richard Dutcher to make this mainstream religious feature that, on the whole, is both inspiring and entertaining. But in his quest for a wide audience, Dutcher has toned down the religious preaching and built up a story about multi-ethnic characters in the heathen Los Angeles. Devoid of some proselytizing however, we don't fully appreciate the Mormon beliefs nor their missionary work. The various conflicts in the story and their syrupy resolutions also lent themselves more to the "Touched by an Angel" TV series. That being said, "God's Army" has several good points. The humor is both refreshing and yet self-directed: in their pristine mission quarters, the men have a posted cockroach board with specimen and species identification; Elder Sandoval boosts himself above a railing to face the famous Hollywood sign as he delivers his salvation message even as his fellow missionaries are throwing pieces of food at him; and the house antic is to take pictures of fellow missionaries sitting on the commode. The acting (mostly first-timers) is surprisingly good, especially the genuine chemistry between Elder Dalton (Dutcher) the mentor and Elder Allen (Matthew Brown) the student. In their shared dialogues, we learn much about a disciplined lifestyle that will lead to personal growth and salvation. It isn't afraid to air out dirty laundry in discussing issues of black bigotry and dissent to the Book of Mormons. It shares with us flawed characters trying to overcome their barriers - Elder Allen raised by a stepfather who baptized him to the Mormon faith and later landed in prison for child molesting, Sister Fronk unable to commit to a Mormon suitor because of her inadequate faith, and Elder Kinegar who could not overcome his religious disbeliefs. "God's Army" isn't a film for everyone because in witnessing men and women struggling to understand their faith and commitment, we are bound to ask ourselves the same questions.

A movie written and directed by a Mormon, as well as starring in it as well, could give the potential viewer some trepidation, but have no fear! God's Army gives a fairly accurate and entertaining view of life as an LDS missionary. Having been one myself I approached the film with some scepticism, which turned out to be entirely unnecessary.

The film follows a new missionary (or greenie) as he leaves Kansas and goes on a mission to California. There he is teamed up with Pops, a well-worn, and in my opinion slightly too old missionary who shows him a thing a too, not only about teaching the gospel but also about developing his own faith.

If you're not religious don't be put off. It's a great film, with some very funny moments, and if you have been on a mission like me you'll appreciate it even more.

It's hard for me to watch these kind of films. They make my somewhat uncomfortable. I didn't think this one was going to be good..but I tried it out anyway. It was a lot better then I anticipated. It makes you wonder at some point during the film..Are these guys teaching the truth? If it made me think that then they most have done a good job in making the film. There are certain parts of the film that made me a little uncomfortable..such as watching them pray together. It was also hard for me to totally understand what was going on because I don't really comprehend the Mormon faith. I did find myself wondering after I watched the film with my wife however. Enjoy.