Sons of Provo (2004) User Reviews (19)

Unharmonious Monstrosity

[sidunrau · 5/10 · 9 February 2005]

Ugh! I bought the soundtrack (pre-released) a few months ago and (mostly) enjoyed the music. However, I should have heeded the warnings from the vocal local critics and skipped this one. Why do stupid/bad/sophomoric/high-school (or worse!)-quality cinema? This mocumentary is almost funny, almost interesting, and mostly just plain boring and painful to watch (painful in the sense that you wish the acting, especially from the "star" of the film, was actually more than a mere over-the-top caricature).

There's nothing horrid (except for some of the singing) or inappropriate in the film, and a vocal student who has a 15-second bit part (the young Mr. Sacket) demonstrates true musical talent, Kirby does his usual excellent job (although why he would be involved with this crap is beyond me; he really shined in "The Best Two Years" and "Saints and Soldiers"), and the choreographer was marvelous, but really: don't support junk like this. It gives Cinema a bad name (and only fuels the hypercritics of "Mormon" cinema).

The only difference between singing and sinning is a g; this one gets awfully close - an affront on sensibilities all around. Halestone should be ashamed.

An LDS boy band

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 22 March 2012]

Sons Of Provo is the story of three Mormon teens forming a boy band. Brothers Will Swenson and Danny Tarasevich are the brothers Jensen and if there had been a third brother there would be no film. But these two musically talented and attractive lads decide on a talent search for a third for a boy band and the search ends when they find Kirby Heyborne.

Just like the problems I'm sure that N'Sync, 98 Degrees, and going back to New Kids On The Block and beyond have, the kids don't always get along. Swenson has a nice bossy tendency to him that the others find hard to take. And it doesn't make a difference that two of them share DNA.

By the way the guys all agree that it was the Osmonds who were the first boy band and Alan Osmond's appearance in the film certainly gives it the Osmond family imprimatur.

I've seen several Mormon based films of late and reviewed them so I'm getting somewhat acquainted with the lifestyle. It's fascinating to me that the church has created its own insular world even extending to the entertainment industry. And how the message of the church permeates all. Still it's unlikely these kids if they were real would ever generate the kind of publicity that a Lindsay Lohan might.

Done in the Mockumentary style of Spinal Tap, the film is a pleasant one and quite enjoyable even for a gentile like myself.

Sons of Provo ROCKS!

[sarah-muller · 15 February 2005]

I went to the premiere of this movie and I thought it was SO funny!Everyone was laughing during the movie. My favorite song is Dang fetch oh my Heck. my favorite scene is wearing Kirby is in the bathroom and his CTR ring falls down the drain. I LOVE Kirby Heybourne and I wish he was single! I am I BIG fan of HaleStorm movies and when I saw this movie it made me an even bigger fan! My favorite line from this movie is WWDAMD what would Donny and Marie do? And within 2 to 4 weeks I get an answer. that's what Danny said. will was also very funny. I liked it where he got that beard thing and they had to shave it off. also when will and Danny met Kirby for the first time and he was wearing makeup. that was hilarious I give this movie 10 stars.

good for about 5 minutes - negative review

[Chainring · 1/10 · 3 February 2005]

I attended the premier last night. The movie started out with a bang (perhaps due to pre-premier excitement). The audience laughed for about 15 minutes, then most of us spent the rest of the time fighting off sleep. This movie can not be compared to _Spinal Tap_ or any of Guest's work, unless you want to say _Sons of Provo_ is a wanna-be gone awfully wrong. It just fell flat, it died, it was painful. The story went nowhere, the jokes were bland, even if you were a Mormon and could get all of the inside jokes, it felt like a waste of time. There were two redeeming qualities: Kirby's acting was spot on! And the songs were very clever (for an LDS audience only). So, my recommendations... Avoid the movie. And if you are Mormon, buy the music CD.

Hard to sit through

[lastgamblemusic · 1/10 · 27 July 2005]

I was invited to an early screening of the movie about four months before it was released. I had to watch the film and later fill out a packet on my thoughts. It was THE hardest thing to sit through on earth. The show just crawls by, and you quickly begin wishing you were dead. The thing is, there are two types of Mormon films. The good ones with actual good stories, and the crappy ones that just plain stink. Saints and Soldiers, now there is a good movie. But, with these wannabe-comedies, the writers and the actors just try too hard. Basically, they try to be funny when they are not. No wonder why there is such a small target audience for these films; they're filled with 'inside jokes' that aren't funny to begin with, and they just try to poke fun at average things. It's the story that makes the movie, and the stories for these movies are just weak. I bet you can guess what my packet looked like when I was told to fill it out after the movie. ;)

Good for a laugh, LDS or not!

[paskin_texas · 9/10 · 10 October 2005]

The movie itself is absolutely hilarious as you follow the escapades of these clueless boys who dream of stardom. Two brothers hold auditions for a third boy to join their band, and from the word go, you forget about how these guys can take themselves so seriously and get a laugh-a-minute! The songs have some good morals to them, when you just listen to the lyrics - but these morals get a healthy mix of laughter, especially when it clashes with Proud Pharisaical Mormon values. I'd recommend this to anybody - whatever their faith! Just don't judge all LDS by what you see in these witty satires! Good use has been made of the DVD format - I could sit and watch the menu options for a half hour at a time, as Will vainly prattles on. There's a good selection of deleted scenes - mostly tirades of ab-libbing. Again, these are worth a barrel of laughs as you see how serious Everclean is about themselves. The LDS movie scene just gets better! Don't miss out just cos you're not LDS.

waste of 93 minutes you'll never get back

[rjsymes · 1/10 · 27 December 2005]

This movie was very disappointing, and except for a few moments, wasn't fly at all. More than anything, it was just flippin' stupid. The music was frickin' bad and the plot played out like a BYU bowl game – very predictable (avoiding embarrassment by scoring, a late game flurry of touchdowns, a rally that falls short and leads to a loss). In essence, the half-childish / half-naive Will (the movie's fetcher) and his religiously confused brother Danny (we'll just call him a democrat), treat Kirby (the movie's "Sweet Spirit"), the 3rd member of their hapless Mormon "boy band," like crap until the man and father figure of the film (the stage manager, Jill) has a talk with Will and straightens him out. Believably, Will's personality changes 180 degrees and he's instantly the mature and self-aware leader of the band. This would be a cute, perhaps funny, 10 minute roadshow gig, but the fact that the movie is 93 minutes long really sucks the life out of you if you watch it to the end. My advise – take the money you'd normally spend to rent this show and either burn it in your fireplace or flush it down the toilet – more entertainment with much less time commitment. If you want to watch a better movie of the same genre, get Saints and Soldiers – not a comedy but an infinitely better show (actually, Kirby has more funny stuff in Saints than he does in SOP).

Great Mocumentary

[theconleys-1 · 8/10 · 13 January 2006]

This is a film for all those who love the quirky, off beat humor of the mocumentary style. These guys are great! Talk about funny, and a great sense of timing-wow. If you love the T.V. show "the office" you will love this movie. Also great for fans of "Waiting for Guffman", as well as "Best in Show" etc. Funny and hip. I can't wait to check out some of the titles previewed on the DVD. If you are into this type of film, you will also love all of the bonus features. The movie starts with a hysterical monologue from one of the stars of the movie. It was so funny it took my wife and I 5 minutes to make a selection, we just kept watching and laughing. Check out the movie and the bonuses!!!

go. go now.

[gotohelen · 10/10 · 6 June 2005]

I saw this movie yesterday and came to IMDb today to find out more about it. Too bad for the reviewer who did not get it. My friends and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I've been hankering to laugh out loud for awhile now and Sons of Provo conjured those wicked barking laughs that surprise ones own self when voiced.

Cheers for the excellent, consistent performances by the actors, and thanks for the easy, entertaining story. Though some would make a comparison to a Christopher Guest film...and I guess I am now...I was glad that SoP didn't linger too much on the awkward hilarity of the characters, as I have found some of CG's later films to do.

I might really only give this movie a 9 for a few too many distracting uhs and ahs in the dialog, I had to give a 10 to raise the lame 3 offered by the popcorn litterbug. Keep our theaters clean! H

This is Spinal Tap -> A Mighty Wind -> Sons of Provo

[mgleez · 10/10 · 16 July 2004]

In L.A., I went to a screening of this film (the first projection screening). I arrived just after it started and was surprised at the roars of laughter as I tried to find a seat. After I was seated and watched for a minute, I understood. The characters in this mockumentary were perfect in their innocence; you had to laugh at them. The humor in the dialog (much of it ad libbed) was honest and dry. It moves right along from one situation or gig (some of them real performances) to another, interspersed with interviews with peripheral characters. As a bonus, these guys can really sing. They even scored an interview with a member of the first boy band (at least in the opinion of Everclean).

This film was made in Utah by people raised in Mormon families. Luckily, as the director said, Mormons do know how to laugh at themselves. I could not help laughing from the moment I sat down until the last credit rolled.

First it was heavy metal, then folk, and now Mormon boy band. This is the next great music mockumentary.

If you get a chance to see it, do. Don't miss it.

The Spinal Tap of Mormon Boy Bands

[SquidGallery · 8/10 · 21 July 2004]

This film is hilarious. There were many moments which paralleled Spiral Tap, which is in a large part its inspiration. The performances are great, with the actors doing their own singing and song writing. Overall a very talented group of people put together a hugely entertaining film with many laugh out loud moments. Done in the Spinal Tap style of a mockumentary, it even parodies this classic in fresh and funny ways. Who new the inner workings of trying to be a successful Christian Boy Band could be so funny? I'm glad somebody thought of it. It should get theatrical play at some point. In the mean time it is definitely checking out in festivals, where it seems to be getting good exposure.

Fun, but more importantly...

[seanmartindesign · 8/10 · 14 May 2006]

... who knew the Mormon church had such a thriving film industry? I watched the trailers that came with the DVD, and I was pretty impressed, even as a non-Mormon, at how much this one company has cranked out.

The film itself? Despite dragging in a few spots and sometimes going a bit too much over the edge with the jokes, it was great fun to watch. The songs the "boys" perform are by and large a riot, and the finale number was very moving and touching.

I'd be curious to know if the filmmakers were influenced by ALTAR BOYZ, an off-Broadway musical about a four-parts-Catholic-one-part-Jewish boy band.

Hilarious movie

[adamchorak · 10/10 · 2 July 2006]

I guess this movie came out quite a while ago. We rented it via Netflix and thought it was one of the funniest things we had seen in a while. It made me laugh the way Napolean Dynamite did. I don't remember it ever coming out in theaters which is too bad. I think the whole pie scene while singing is about the funniest thing I have ever seen. That and the wedding reception song. The actors actually sound really great there like they could have had a career as singers. I also think some of the DVD extras are really funny as well. For example, on the set up, they have English subtitles and Spanish subtitles. That is standard. But they also have an option for Cantonese voice over. You should select it...very funny. Also, a commentary on the commentary...That was also really funny to have. Only complaint about the movie is I am not a huge fan of Will being all over the menu selection. Highly recommended.

Laugh Out Loud Movie!

[heffay111 · 8/10 · 16 July 2004]

I saw a screening of this movie in Los Angeles on July 15, 2004. "Sons of Provo" is thoroughly enjoyable. It is well written, acted, directed, shot and cut. I've long been wondering if I would ever see a well-done, very-low-budget independent in the Guffman-Best-In-Show pseudo-doc style. After so many that made me walk out or shut my eyes in pain, "Sons of Provo" delivered the goods in spades. 'Sons of Provo' is about two brothers in their mid-twenties who start an In Sync style boy band and rise to middling success in the small towns of Utah. Imagine laughing out loud at a movie in which the dirtiest word spoken is 'Flip.' The filmmakers did a great job of creating hilariously sincere characters, placing them in a funny situations and keeping the story fresh as the movie progresses. I'd recommend it to absolutely everyone. I can only say that I hope it finds a way onto cable or even art-house screens. Without a single recognizable face in the cast, I know that the producers have their work cut out for them getting this movie to an audience.

There is one disclaimer to my review, which is that I am married to a former Mormon. I think I enjoyed the film more because of my familiarity with Mormon life – many times I was laughing because it was like watching my in-laws. However, I'm thinking that Mormon life is to "Sons of Provo" as dog show culture is to "Best In Show." I don't know a thing about dog shows and still thought "Best In Show" was brilliant, the best of Christopher Guest's films. And I bet dog show people loved the movie, probably more than I did. I believe the same will go for "Sons of Provo". I just hope that the filmmakers can convince a distributor somewhere that a general audience will enjoy laughing at what they see as a satire of Mormon culture while the Mormon audience will see this as a lovingly hilarious homage to their culture.

Definitely a Riot!

[senorfuego · 9/10 · 9 September 2004]

Sons of Provo is hilarious. It reminded me a lot of Spinal Tap--maybe the SOP guys can do just as good a commentary when their DVD comes out! The movie follows a boy band based in Provo, UT as they rise, albeit slightly, to some level of stardom (I'm guessing the stardom level should be considered in Utah artist terms). For a movie that was shot on such a small budget, it's interesting to see the amount of cast they are able to bring in for some of the concert scenes.

The characters are enjoyable--especially Kirby Laybourne and Grayson. The movie's not perfect...but the soundtrack (which I hear is all original) really drives the movie and pushes it along. If you get a chance to see it...this one is worth the time.

Spot On & Good Hearted

[strangeduck · 9/10 · 26 November 2006]

Anyone who's spent any time among the Mormons, or on the planet during the recent invasion of boy bands, or any combination thereof, will laugh and wince their way through this delightful film. It's a spoof that gently mocks its subject matter, never resorting to the mean-spiritedness that kills so many offerings in the mocumentary genre. The filmmakers know their topics--both Mormons and Boy Bands--very well and they don't hesitate to lampoon them. However, an overriding sense of affection for these same topics keeps the humor accessible. At the same time, the dialog is intelligent and the barbs pointed.

Highly recommended.

One H-E-double-hockeysticks of a funny movie!

[rooprect · 9/10 · 12 December 2013]

"MPAA - Rated PG for mild language and thematic elements" Are you kidding me?? The strongest language occurs in the hilariously dramatic scene where one character says "Uncle Will, you're being a butt!" (followed by gasps & horrified expressions).

I just thought I'd use that example up front so you'd know what you're in for. "Sons of Provo" is a riotously satirical mockumentary about a Mormon boy band trying to find success in the Utah music scene. Although as one character points out "We're men. Um... which is kind of funny. Why is it a boy band? We should be a man band. I'll bring that up with them later."

Not since "Spinal Tap" or the equally witty Christopher Guest music mockumentary "A Mighty Wind" have I heard such great lines. As with Christopher Guest's films, the humor comes from the absurdity and stupidity of clueless musicians. But here in "Sons of Provo" we get a double dose of absurdity due to the squeaky clean approach of characters bound by the strict moral code of the Church. For example, the guys dare to perform a rap song. In the next scene we see a terrified, hysterical girl in the parking lot waiting to be taken home because "rap doesn't come from a very holy place!"

What's funny is, while taking satirical jabs like this, the film remains respectful of Mormon culture and never mocks them or anyone. Satire without sarcasm is a tough feat to pull off, but writer/director/actor Will Swenson (himself having been raised Mormon) pulls it off delightfully. The result is pure hilarity that's fun for everyone regardless of what culture, musical taste, faith or lack of faith you have.

I counted at least half a dozen gags that are absolutely classic. Like in "Spinal Tap" remember the Stonehenge gag, the 11 gag, and so on? Here we have the same sort of memorable writing and funny deadpan delivery to immortalize some of these scenes in comedy history. You'll love the garage door gag, the ring gag, the malfunctioning microphone stand gag, the "you're being a butt" gag, and the list goes on. Immediately after finishing this movie (and wiping the tears of laughter from my face) I had to watch it again with the subtitles on so I could catch all the lyrics I had missed. Watch the deleted scenes & bloopers for even more hilarity (like the headset mic scene, OMG you'll be howling just like the actors were, hence ruining the take).

Ever since "Spinal Tap", the first wildly successful music mockumentary, films have populated the genre with many great & many not-so-great efforts. I'm pleased to announce that "Sons of Provo" falls into the "great" category alongside other gems like "A Mighty Wind" (about folk musicians), "Razzle Dazzle" (about a girls' dance school) and "Anvil! The Story of Anvil" (a real-life heavy metal documentary that's as funny as fiction). If you see any of these films pop up on your radar, be sure to check them out immediately.

Funny

[notyourordinarymoviecritic · 7 February 2005]

"Sons of Provo" intrigued me initially because I know some of the supporting actors--the ones who play Jill Kieth and the recording engineer along with the top-billed ones. It was funny the whole way through.

There were only a couple of things where my expectations weren't met. 1)I wasn't ready for the documentary feel it had which made it feel more cheaply made than it actually was. 2)I had listened to the CD several times prior to the movie and was somewhat let down that not any of the songs were played in their entirety.

I wouldn't mind seeing it again with my expectations tweaked a little. Yes, it will have a documentary cinematic feel and no, none of the songs will be performed all the way through.

My favorite scene would have to be when the band crashes the wedding reception and the bride goes running off crying.

That's all. I may write another review when I see it again.

Is This All Provo Has To Offer?

[DrGandolfo · 9 February 2005]

If so I'm GLAD I live in Lindon (two towns to the North).

I saw the movie at a 9:40 showing in the Provo mall. My friends and I sat behind two other dudes. A couple came in and sat on our right during the previews. Another guy came in and sat to our left. That was all that were in the theater. During the first 10 minutes of the movie the couple walked out, and a minute later the guy to our left walked out. One of my friends was happily snoring next to me, so my other friend and I amused ourselves by throwing popcorn on him.

I read the other reviews of this movie and cannot believe people are praising it so much. This movie is not very funny (it does have a couple of fun lines, but it's not worth the effort).

I give it a 3 out of 10 (not a 0 because it at least is not dirty).