Jesus Was a Commie

I see many reviews referring to the lyricism, the obvious biblical connections and and the pure artistic quality of this film. What it is, along with and MORE THAN all that, is a smart, straightforward narrative reminding us that Jesus (and a handful of other historical visionaries)was handing us a message of such simple and obvious truth, such COMMON SENSE that it could NOT, not be true. This film guides us on a path toward decency. It also highlights the fact that the snake-oil brand of spirituality packaged under Jesus' label by the rich and politically powerful, is exactly that. Go see it when you get a chance.

Chris Crutcher

Jesus was a Commie was introduced to me during a Theology lesson. We watched this film in coordination with readings by Gustavo Gutierrez. The title alone of this movie will draw any viewer in, at least for me it did! I was immediately annoyed and outraged by the title of the movie- but shouldn't that be the effect of all great movies? As a deeply religious Catholic my first thoughts were how could anyone accuse Jesus of being a communist. These accusations came at the cost of putting Stalin and Jesus on the same level, BUT the film turned my feelings of outrage into understanding and agreement to a certain extent!

The film began and automatically it was not what I was expecting from a film entitled "Jesus was a Commie"! I expected it to drag on like some of the most boring religious based films often do, but instead the screen flashed wonderful graphics which complemented the narrative very well. The music going along with this also made the entire 13 minutes of the film very enjoyable. I was captured by what Matthew Modine had to say about Jesus and communism. Surprisingly, I found myself in agreement with Matthew.

I don't want to give away too much of what the film covers, but I would like to mention the idea of oppression, which comes up in the movie through the idea of violence and such. I believe this movie gives a great viewpoint on salvation and the Reign of God which can be correlated to Gutierrez's writings' such as "Christ the Liberator" found in Essential Writings. This film does not create the controversy one would expect from its title. Jesus was a Commie has earned all of the 10 stars I am rating it with. I walked away from this film with many questions as it was extremely thought provoking! This is a must watch for people from all religious backgrounds! I hope to see more from Matthew Modine.

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The short film, Jesus Was A Commie, proposes a thought provoking idea that Jesus was a communist. By making this statement the filmmakers are proposing that Jesus believes that everyone deserves to live a life without having to resort to begging for money etc. However, I personally believe that the word communist has negative connotations attached to it and usually brings up thoughts of dictatorships and totalitarian governments rather than socialistic type of societies which is essentially what Jesus supposedly believed in according to the film.

Disregarding the films message, the actual film making complemented the films message and voice-over extremely well. The film depicts a guy walking through the city passing buildings and homeless people with images interspersed throughout. By showing himself walking the filmmaker shows how small and rather inconsequential each person is in the world and how everyone is interrelated and of equal importance in Jesus' and God's eyes.

The film is not attempting to force people to become communist it is rather asking for people to think about how Jesus' would act and look at the world with a new perspective. I believe that the films message is a bit off and too idealistic, especially with its choice of viewing Jesus as a communist. However, the filming is smart and a great image in addition to the lecture type of voice-over accompanying it.

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This is an incredibly well made short film that everyone should see.

It is not a narrative and not a documentary, but rather more of a video essay that follows Modine around various NYC locations as he explores the philosophy of Jesus Christ, and applies that philosophy to modern day society and current political situations.

The imagery is stunning, and the editing keeps the pace fast enough that the film never feels didactic. Instead it is a very honest and positive attempt to highlight the stories in the Bible that show Jesus to be a man whose political leanings might be classified as communist.

Modine is very careful to point out that when he refers to Communism he is not speaking of a specific form that has appeared in recent history (not the Communism of Lenin, Mao, or even Marx), but rather an ideal form of Communism based on egalitarian ideals.

The real strength of this piece is not in the argument that it makes, but in the questions it poses. At only 15 minutes in length (that feels closer to 5 because it moves so quickly), there isn't time, nor is there any attempt to provide answers or solutions. If Jesus were living in the America of today, what would he think of today's political parties? Whom would he support? And for those people who currently identify themselves as Christian and are followers of Christ, how often do your personal beliefs and actions really fall in line with the ideology of Jesus?

I think most works that pose such controversial questions often do so from a perspective that is anti-religion. But Jesus WAS A COMMIE doesn't do that. It simply asks you as the viewer to evaluate the world around you and ask yourself if it could be better, and what we could do to effect that change.

In a very positive, constructive, and optimistic manner, Jesus WAS A COMMIE provokes thought and reflection, and I expect for all those who see it, an incredible opportunity for debate and discussion. And that is the most valuable gift any film can offer.

Jesus Was a Commie is a film in which Matthew Modine uses imagery and in-depth thought, presenting questions about modern society based on the studies of Jesus, original Communism and the world we live in. The film is made more powerful by his ability to present ideas instead of statistical facts, leaving the viewer with more questions than answers.

The movie title sparked my curiosity. From the opening scene till it's close, this film captured my attention and held my interest. Jesus Was a Commie is not really political or religious, but more thought provoking, challenging some of the ideas that many take for granted as "fact." The scenes in the movie, though sometimes disturbing, are matched perfectly with the narration, making it easy to get lost in and leaving me hungry for "just a little bit more."

I think everyone should watch Jesus Was a Commie. I think it should be studied in schools and discussed at length until our minds have opened to the possibilities of a world we can create.