Roll-M: Dogma |
Dogma (starring Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Salma Hayek, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Alan Rickman, Chris Rock, George Carlin, Alanis Morissette; written and directed by Kevin Smith; rated R for strong language).
Dogma is an outrageous, irreverent, great film that is sure to offend those who take religion too seriously, tickle the funny bone of most of those who believe, and give great joy to those who don’t (such as this writer). While it helps to have an understanding of Catholic dogma and terminology -- when was the last time you saw a movie that included the concepts of plenary indulgences and transubstantiation? – all that’s really needed to enjoy the movie is a sense of humor.
Dogma reteams youthful actors Ben Affleck and Matt Damon (screenplay Oscar winners for Good Will Hunting), and the two again prove they have perfect acting chemistry, this time as fallen angels Bartleby (Affleck) and Loki (Damon), trying to get back into heaven. Seems they’ve been banished for all human eternity to Wisconsin, a place many of us Zonies would probably agree is the winter equivalent of hell. Meanwhile, half a continent away in New Jersey, Cardinal Glick (George Carlin) has decided to spice things up a bit for his parish. He unveils plans for his "Catholicism Wow!" promotion, including a huge statue of "Buddy Jesus," thumbs up, grinning and winking. Plus, if you act now, all lapsed Catholics will receive those aforementioned plenary indulgences – enter the church, and voilà! – all your sins vanish and you can go to heaven with a clean slate. So Bartleby & Loki hightail it for Jersey, where they hope to step into the church and at last go "home."
Meanwhile, Alan Rickman as Seraphim Metatron, the voice of God, appears as a fiery pillar in the bedroom of Bethany, a lonely young woman who soon learns that she’s the only surviving relative of Jesus (a great, great, great, great etc. niece). It’s up to her to put a stop to Bartleby & Loki’s plan, or all of existence will cease to be – the reason for this, in a clever twist of logic, is that God is infallible; therefore, if these two fallen angels succeed in getting back into heaven, this would prove God fallible, and all the universe will cease to be.
Director Smith claims to be a believing Catholic, but most of this film obviously challenges that dogma. For example, there is a line of dialogue stating that the world would be better off if there were more ideas instead of beliefs because ideas can be changed when necessary. But don’t think that this is a heavily laden theological treatise. There is just so much fun in this picture. I don’t wish to spoil it, but if you’re the type who would enjoy a send-up of organized religion, I urge you to rush to see this divine comedy.
FOUR AND A HALF OWLS (out of five)