Divine Access

This was a good movie until the ending! The last 5 minutes were needlessly shocking! I could have written a FAR better ending! Nice concept executed well until one of the final scenes that left me scratching my head. What were the writers thinking??

Greetings again from the darkness. Meet Jack. Thanks to a mother who dragged him around as a kid to a stream of religious events and retreats, he has grown into an adult who has vast knowledge about various religions and approaches to spirituality. Yet, despite this, he is a slacker and self-anointed underachiever … a man living the simple life of fishing, drinking beer and morning skinny dips in the lake.

As a favor to his friend Bob (Patrick Warburton), Jack (Billy Burke) agrees to appear on a cable access show. It turns out Bob wants Jack to humiliate the current host … Reverend Guy Roy Davis (Gary Cole). The stunt works sending Guy Roy off the deep end, and turning Jack into an oddball spiritual leader.

The film balances some extremely funny segments and moments with the drama that typically accompanies anything religious. As the film points out, a great many people are looking for something to believe in. Jack's simple talks revolve around philosophical bits such as: Believe you are loved. Why are you certain you are right and other are wrong? Tell your story and listen to others tell theirs.

When Jack hits the road to give his talks across Texas, he undergoes a personal transformation that is tied to Marian (Sarah Shahi) who he can't quite figure out whether she is real or a vision. His travel buddies include Nigel (Joel David Moore) and Amber (Dora Madison Burge). The interaction between these three characters makes for the best scenes in the film.

The casting and acting is superb. Gary Cole is both painful and hilarious to watch as Guy Roy, a man committed to spreading the gospel through his ventriloquism with a creepy "Mini Jesus" doll. Sarah Shahi brings the necessary level of mysticism to her role, and Adrienne Barbeau is spot on as Jack's mom. Patrick Warburton delivers his deadpan one-liners with aplomb, while Joel David Moore and Dora Madison Burge make for a quirky couple of passengers on the road trip. Even the multi-talented Turk Pipkin has a cameo as the leader of the Esoteric Fellowship. But it's Billy Burke who owns the movie as the reluctant spiritual leader who is fighting his own transformation. Burke delivers a subtle and nuanced performance while also being downright cynical and funny.

The religious overtones are pretty clear with Jesus, Matthew the Apostle, and Mary Magdalene, but that should in no way lead you to believe this is one of those sneaky Christian message movies. Actually, director Steven Chester Prince and his three co-writers do a nice job at asking "Is everyone doing the best they can?" and "Do you believe what you say?" The message seems to be that we all have doubts, but it's best to start with yourself before you start trying to fix others.

Amazing performances and direction, truly fresh writing. Throughly enjoyed and recommend! Thank you for creating this art piece.

It contains expressions with depth for our beliefs. makes you happy.

The first thing we see is a group of people who appear to be hippies or followers of an Eastern religion, so a Christian message is probably not to be expected.

In fact, the one person claiming to be Christian in the entire movie is mean and judgmental. Christianity is not shown in a positive light.

Actually, maybe the message of this movie is that Jack, who doesn't follow a religion, is presenting a message that reflects what Christians should be doing. And the way people behave around him reminds me a lot of how people reacted to Jesus.

However, Jack has at least one critic who doubts that Jack believes what he is saying and doesn't consider consequences.

Billy Burke does a good job, likable enough and at least trying, even if he doesn't have all the answers.

Patrick Warburton is more logical and restrained than most characters I have seen him play. He is pleasant and not macho. And he is the voice of reason when all around him are wacko.

Gary Cole, who I have seen in many roles but didn't recognize, does an effective job as a pastor, if the goal is to make him look bad and Christians look bad. But like I said, maybe this is to show how Christians shouldn't be, though there aren't any positive portrayals of Christians, unless Bob is one.

Adrienne Barbeau, after all these years, still looks great and plays a really nice character, whose faith, whatever it is, seems to make her happy. A little too happy, maybe. She doesn't react in an expected way to a crisis. And she is only in the movie at the end, except for her voice being heard as Jack reads an email from her.

Barak Hardley, not a familiar name, is funny as a believer in pyramids. I'd like to see more of him.

Joel David Moore is likable enough, but kind of a loser, as Jack's partner on his travels. He might be a Christian because he mentions revivals, but even if he is his portrayal isn't really that positive.

Sarah Shari is a groupie, or at least she follows Jack from city to city, and she gives him the criticism he probably needs. She is also a voice of reason.

And Dora Madison is adorable but tough as someone who needs help.

One thing is certain. For a movie with a spiritual message, this is far from family friendly. Even cleaned up, it's still not good family viewing. It is obvious a lot of bad words were removed, including some of the worst, and Jack is naked in several scenes. At least one woman is shown putting on clothes.

But there is a message here. It's not ideal and it doesn't give all the answers, but there is something positive.