Believe Me

Believe me is about 4 frat brothers who start a fake charity so that they can make money to wipe off a college loan. If this film was supposed to be a commentary on the current state of US higher education they might have had something. Sadly the main characters are just like the self-entitled privileged jocks that are usually painted as the bad guys in 80s films where the nerds finally have their day, so straight off the bat you hate them. The whole thing kind of sounds like a light-hearted college film, right? Wrong. Before I watched it I figured it would contain all of the classic frat characters and hijinx we have come to love from college films like Animal House, and the preview made it look funny. Wrong again. Sadly the film doesn't know whether it should be funny or serious. It pivots between poorly timed jokes that don't hit their mark and moments where we are supposed to see the human side of these asshole characters -and neither works. If it had stuck to being a shameless comedy (and they cast actors with a concept of comedic timing) then this film might have worked. Instead they tried to give it a serious edge and the lack of commitment doesn't pay off. The premise is flawed to begin with and it doesn't help that the script doesn't do anything to set up how and why the audience should believe these characters have the capability to accomplish what they are doing. The thing stinks of lazy writing, amateur directing and below average acting. Don't waste your time.

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.

I put "Christian film" in quotes because the filmmakers are Christians, but I guarantee it's not the type of movie you're probably thinking of (God's Not Dead, Heaven Is For Real, Kirk Cameron's stuff, etc). It is the first "Christian film" I've seen that wasn't preachy or trying to cram a message down my throat. Messages are there, sure, but they are for you to extrapolate and consider like any good film. Also, the film isn't reserved or afraid of poking at its home audience. In fact, I'd say a good portion of it is designed to intentionally provoke questions in Christians themselves where usually Christian movies are trying to get non-believers to "question" things. Lastly, it is most definitely the funniest Christian movie I've seen (Miles Fisher and Max Adler are superb) and probably the best in terms of the craft of filmmaking (something many others tend to put low on the priority list).

I was just honestly taken aback by how much I enjoyed it. I typically loathe Christian films, having seen so many growing up, but this was like a breath of fresh air. If more Christian films were like this, perhaps they wouldn't be thought of as such a joke by most everyone else.

My personal rating is a 9, but it's objectively probably a 7.

Believe Me is an excellent take on the "Christian" world, or Christian culture, if you will. You can't really call it a Christian film; you just can't. There are plenty of christians who hate, loathe and are embarrassed by the "art" that gets passed on to our churches and friends and uncles and aunts and parents, etc. as "Christian art". They don't seem Christian or even like art, really. The director of Believe Me must've felt the same way based on the way he satirizes the modern church experience. But he goes further and develops characters who face difficult spiritual and ethical decisions. And not in any cookie cutter type of way. Though Believe Me occasionally displays some lower budget vibes and some convenient plotting, it makes up for in writing and performance. The leads are more captivating than any other fresh faces you've ever come across. Plus, it feature Christopher McDonald and Nick F***ing Offerman. I wish I had when I was growing up...

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!