Under the Banner of Heaven

Though it could have been truncated, I thought this was surprisingly good. Interweaving re-enactments of stories from the Book of Mormon related to a double homicide in Utah, the detective-a Mormon himself-finds himself going through a trial of faith similar to the primary suspect: the husband of murdered mother and daughter, the deeper the mystery goes the more entwined it becomes with the church itself, delving into some esoteric and antiquated aspects of the LDS faith.

It was effective and compelling. I hadn't heard of the real case this had been based on or the book this adapts. But I am aware of the LDS faith and the splintering; including the offshoot of polygamy, but not where it came from. I ended up being as interested in that aspect as the murder investigation.

Stand-out acting as well. Another pleasant surprise.

Let me start off by saying I'm an active Mormon and I rated this a 7 so no, *all* Mormons aren't giving this the lowest rating.

I was raised in "the Church" and still attend, although I've never been die-hard religious so maybe that's why I can view this show at least somewhat objectively. I also lived in the Utah Valley for over a decade so I definitely got the full "Mormon experience" 😂

First off, let me start by saying that I've talked to a LOT of Mormons and at least in my experience, NO Mormon actually talks like they do in the show. I actually laughed out loud several times when they kept quoting scriptures or prophets or said "Heavenly Father" in almost every sentence. Lol. No. I get that this is a dramatization but oh my, it was so cheesy.

Also the portrayal of Brigham Young was a little bit of an eye roll. He was kind of a weird dude for sure and made some questionable decisions (as every human does btw) but making him out to be this scheming villain (again, for dramatic effect I'm sure) was a little over the top.

Overall the cinematography was great, the acting was phenomenal, and the story was shocking and engaging, although it was told a little too slowly. Bottom line, really good, interesting show with a few flaws.

Anyway, definitely worth a watch, and if you're Mormon and considering watching it, just relax, enjoy it for what it is, and maybe learn something. "Fundamentalism/FLDS" is obviously an extreme offshoot of mainstream Mormonism and most people know that, if they're not ignorant. Also, every single religion has done some pretty messed up stuff and justified it in the name of a higher being. I'm not saying it's okay because it isn't, but churches are run by humans and again, humans are flawed. Doesn't mean your whole life is a lie and God isn't real.

The series is very good. I read the very good book years ago and this adaptation is worth watching. Not sure I understand the reviews that say it's boring. Certainly not. It's actually quite absorbing.

Top notch acting from everyone. Great script. I appreciate how got they portrayed both versions of the church. Extreme fundamentalism in any religion can be a dangerous thing.

I just finished watching Under the Banner of Heaven and have to say that it was so much better than I expected. This series has been nominated for tons of awards and deservingly so, especially Andrew Garfield. This show is worth watching for Garfield's performance alone. He leads a star studded cast who all do an outstanding job. It's based off a true story as detective Jeb Prye (Garfield) investigates the murder of Brenda Wright Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her baby girl in Salt Lake City, Utah. He uncovers buried truths about the Mormon religion and the violent consequences to keep those secrets. What he uncovers shakes his own faith. It's definitely a tough watch but a must watch for any true crime fans.