Needed some tweaking in editing. A countdown clock to the day/hour/minute would have added a sense of urgency as well as comedy. Characters were nice written and stereotyped for some laughs. The base is SO there but needs some refining in the script as well. Great message :)
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missedshel29 March 2022
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Like another reviewer, I got hyped about the title and trailer content hoping for a sobering satire on the gimmickry of American evangelicalism. But I'm not sure this effort isn't about 20 years late. The mid to late 90's were especially laden with style driven controversies as so many churches were transitioning away from "traditional" worship styles toward a "contemporary" style.
The early adopters of not only contemporary worship style but felt-needs driven, socioeconomically profiled, ministry that blew up into mega churches are kind of a thing of the past. The current threat to the sincere presentation of the gospel message in churches now is something different i.e. Progressivism, technocracy, mysticism e.g. Soul soaking, wokism etc. This would present a considerable writing challenge but is a far more timely theme.
But that aside, this film has big issues as it is. The acting was mostly bad. Another reviewer mentioned the script being trash. I have to agree. But I think some of it could have been salvaged by some different writing/directing decisions. For example, way too much onscreen time was devoted to a weak plot vector having to do with stopping the crucifixion stunt itself. It may seem counterintuitive, but this stunt should not have been the main focus anymore than it was the real problem the characters needed to solve.
The problem for the antagonist is the appetite the church has for the stunts and gimmicks but the plot was consumed with stopping a gimmick. This needed to happen but the onscreen time was disproportionate toward this effort and only a tiny bit right at the end was devoted to the change of heart by the pastor which was hard to buy in to.
The scene with Guy's daughter was very poorly conceived. This is an example of the writing/direction decision making I was referring to. This was just half-baked. She walks in, announces she is his daughter and he is just like "Sup?" This was an opportunity for some real acting and deserved to have some of the awkwardly long Tino screen time shifted toward it.
Stephen Baldwin's character was just plain weird.
William Baldwin's talent was wasted talent on his brief role. Could have used him for the lead and had Thor play a supporting role? Maybe he was offered this but passed on it?
The Blaze character was too flaky. This made it impossible for any real enlightenment to occur with him.
I am a big supporter of Christian film. I can forgive a lot but I paid $20 to watch this via SalemNow. I am very disappointed. I can't let you off the hook just because your heart was in the right place. -
theweb-854883 September 2021Funny ?, but with everything going on in the world , religion is best left alone . It will have something for some people though .
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jonbuck-9192323 May 2021I really wanted to enjoy this. What a waste of a good premise. After 20 years in a church like the one portrayed here, I thought it might be worth a viewing.
Fellow Christians, please stop giving bad movies high scores simply because they have Christian themes. All that does is encourage more bad Christian movies.
Much of this movie felt like it was written at a church staff retreat after a night of sleep-deprivation. The plot was formulaic and the punchlines easy to see coming. The characters had no depth and their quirks were more cringe-inducing than endearing.
It was sad to see Donald Faison's life sucked out of him with this role.
You could see his eyes closing over a little more each time he was onscreen. The cheesy exit of his character was so lame I'm suprised they didn't take him out to the pasture shoot him afterward. -
jjr-764743 September 2021I am sure there are tons of talented christian artists, and faith is a unending provider of great subjects. So why do we keep getting these terrible movies?
Where are the christian movie makers and writers that would put faith as part of a great film, or even just a good film. A film that doesn't need to preach, a film that could allow people of faith to be self-mocking without being deriding or self-satisfying without being indulgent. Or films that could still tackle issues without being endlessly militant. It can be done, see for instance the french "coexister" or "of god and men", very different but equally great, or even Terence Malick's "the tree of life".
And maybe it is not an issue with artists but with financing and distribution, but whatever the cause, this is another good premise wasted on a very very poor result. -
crazi-swans16 March 2021A family friendly Christian movie, funny, and self-aware, with a stellar cast, that made for an enjoyable and entertaining film.
Engaging and humorous, it is a wonderful film to share with family, containing the powerful message of the foremost gospel of Christ's sacrifice for our sins. Starring Christian comedian Thor Ramsey, alongside a wonderful cast, including Stephen Baldwin, Joey Fatone, and even a cameo from the My Pillow Guy himself. I will admit that at times the humor can be deemed irreverent, so if you are offended by the likes of Tim Hawkins and John Crist then it might not be your style. But by the end, it all came together and I enjoyed the wit in this Christian movie being willing to take a step back and make fun of some aspects of the Christian culture, as well as to be honest enough to take a serious look at itself as well.
All in all a fun family movie, with some great talking points along the way. Filled with humor, clean and at times cheesy, well acted, with a powerful conclusion, this is a movie that makes for a great family movie night and is great to share with others!
Many thanks to Collide Distribution for providing this product/product information for review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. -
awmorris-3960814 March 2021This movie was not good. I had high expectations going in because I really really liked the idea for this movie. The Christian church has become, in a lot of ways, a huge production masking itself as a way to reach people. Yet in doing that the gospel has been so watered down, and pushed to the side. So when I saw the trailer I got hyped, thinking it was going to be brutally honest about the modern church. In a lot of ways it is, but man it was way too over the top.
The biggest problems with this movie, however, is the script and the acting. The script is trash. And a lot of times it's incredibly weird. Their are actually a lot of incredibly awkward scenarios and lines in this movie. Some that talk about listing after maniquinns and other weird stuff like that. Furthermore, the acting is also terrible. I really think it's mainly cause the script is so bad, but nonetheless everyone does terribly in this movie.
There is one very very good thing about this movie, and that is its presentation of the gospel. Most Christian movies I've seen always have bad acting, script, writing, and a terrible presentation of the gospel. They do a fantastic job of illustrating what the Gospel really is. So for that, I applaud them.
However, everything else about this movie is incredibly weird, off putting, and beyond over the top. But all in all they did present the gospel clearly and I'm glad they were able to do that! -
dolans-115 March 2021I was expecting a more typical Christian church service movie with praying but was surprised and thrilled by the abundance of comedy, romance, and charming father daughter reunion. Leaves you smiling and feeling good.
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jtfoodguy-604-81027315 March 2021Starts out fantastic with just the right people in each part. I really enjoyed how they handled the child being born out of wedlock scene. It was a funny but real look into some things wrong with the church today. I laughed, I cried, I was moved by this movie. I would highly recommend this movie.
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This felt like watching a really long skit at summer camp. I think the actors couldve pulled off a decent movie if the script wasn't dumpster fire fuel. I thank God His grace helped me to maintain my faith despite watching this film.
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joecoddington-8-37313423 March 2021This movie provides much needed comic relief during this unprecedented time of Covid. Not only does it provide laughter, it breaks out into a thought provoking discussion for churches as they prepare for the flocks of people to return.
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bfvnxtdb8 December 2021Can't lie, it's not a 10. But it's not that bad. I had some real good laughs, the acting didn't suck like most small films. Not gonna win any Oscar's but not a definitely not waste of time!
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serge-9488114 September 2021This movie is as poorly made and as uncomfortable as Mike Lindell's pillows -- who just happens to be the executive producer.
Poorly written, acted, directed ... feels trite, transparent messaging, in general gives a bad name and sets a low bar for faith-based productions.
If you're expecting a playful film that looks at mega-church evangelical Christianity making good-natured fun of itself, get off at the next bus stop. Don't waste your time with this film, and don't expect it to make you feel good. It doesn't.
A disappointment. -
judyharl23 February 2022Dumbest movie ever mocking the mega church. Cannot stand any of the Baldwins Head pastor so dumb joey fatone dumber than normal.how did that movie get released.
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twelve-house-books18 May 2022A fair effort by Evangelicals to do a checks-and-balance of their place in digimodern society and their set of beliefs, which includes propitiatory salvation, a theological point which is not universally accepted by Christians--the other popular view of Jesus dying on the Cross being not propitiatory but medicinal (John 3.14). There are some genuinely funny moments here, and the actors know their chops, but overall this one falls flat like most Evangelical film productions.
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albertoleon-6597518 February 2023This movie was so hard to watch, it was boring, the characters are unrelated and caricaturesque. The acting was silly and shallow. The script is also terrible. I would give it a 0 but I can't so I'll give it a 1. I only pushed through because I wanted to see Chyna and Bolly Baldwin acting together. Otherwise I would have never watched this.
Do better Hollywood Christians. Do better please.
I know Christias can make better movies, I've seen great christian movies, like Birches (2019), or the Chosen and many more.
Isn't there like a pre-screening of this movie? How did it pass the pre-screening? -
barbmalburg21 March 2021I like being supportive of faith-based films and I love a good comedy, and Church People is both! Making the Gospel the main thing is important whether you're a small church or a mega church and bringing that message with humor makes it all the more memorable.
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myprincehenry26 March 2021Maybe it's the American culture rubbing off on us, but all too often it seems we as a Christian church are constantly after something new, something more. Something bigger. We want our worship services to be full-fledged concerts, and our sermons to be impassioned pep-talks that make us feel better about ourselves. We look for new ways to appear relevant and attractive to non-believers.
But honestly... What could be bigger than the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
I'm usually wary of promoting a movie before I've seen it. However, I loved the trailer for "Church People" so much I took a chance on it, and the movie did not disappoint! It's fun, funny, heartwarming, and so well done. All the actors were spectacular, and the few characters I found annoying at times annoyed me exactly as they would if they were real people at my own church. The comedy was funny, and I absolutely LOVED the Gospel presentation. I highly recommend "Church People"! -
RealDaveEbert14 March 2021Yes, this is a faith-based film with a faith message. And the urge is to pigeon-hole it. Add to that it's a Christian Comedy with a message, and it's tempting to cram as deep as possible into that pigeon-hole. DON'T. This is truly a fun and funny film with a great message. Not a Christian? Cool! Come and laugh and join with the Christians laughing at what makes Christians funny, many times unintentionally. Christian? Cool! Come laugh at what makes Christians odd characters...possibly find something to laugh at about yourself! The comedy is really solid. The primary writer is Thor Ramsey, who is an incredible stand up. And his years of writing comedy for the stage lent well to this film's script. The comedy was actually funny. It was sometimes goofy...but I never felt like it went uber cheesy. So, the lactose intolerant are free to laugh! On top of all the comedy is a wonderful message about the REAL meaning of Good Friday and what following Jesus means. The comedy is so good, it makes the depth of the Good Friday scene even more impactful. Again, without the hokey, Hallmark-esque cheesiness. It's these comments that made me choose to click YES on spoilers...I am not sure the depth of the Good Friday scene should be spoiled, so I wanted to be fair for those who are interested. Thor Ramsey does phenomenal in his feature film debut. Director Christopher Shawn Shaw proved his skills behind the camera in his feature film debut. Stephen Baldwin's character is so fun to watch and it's brought to life so well. Highly recommend this movie! Fun. Funny. Great message. It's a Christian film that is good...not "good enough" for church people, but GOOD. See it. Book it for your church. Support this film! Really well done!
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csbrownwell30 March 2022This film brilliantly presents the actual Gospel while exposing apostate churches like Church of the Highlands, Church By the Glades, Transformation Church, Bethel Church, Faith Church, Vous Church, et al that trade in the Gospel for expensive entertainment and distractions meant to lure people into their churches. Yet, you never hear the Gospel in them. No calls for repentance. No mention of sin. No giving the bad news that makes the Good News that much better. Preaching in these churches are very motivational and narcissistic.
This movie contained a clear presentation of the Gospel with a witty humor that was often unexepected. Thankfully, the film was devoid of the mysticism that often plagues Christian movies. -
bigsis_je11 March 2023I started this movie with a cringe on my face, as any Christian does who hopes for Christian movies to be good - and less cheesy - one of these days. While the cringe never completely went away, the reason for it did change. It went from being a dread-induced cringe to a cringe of regret that modern mega-churches are actually like this! The writers didn't embellish by much!
At that point, I started appreciating this movie for what it is: Christian satire. And such clever satire that it just barely went beyond reality. I felt like I was watching all of the Christian headlines The Babylon Bee has written, rolled into a single movie. So much so, that I laughed out loud at the end when a certain character was revealed to be the Holy Spirit when he picked up the fog machine and it started blowing fog everywhere. LOL!
There are also a couple very sweet story lines that made me as a woman like this movie even more.
While this movie is not completely devoid of Christian cheese, I did find it really clever and humorous. And it made me even more thankful for those small, simple, sincere churches that hopefully still exist. -
chestercarlton13 April 2022Engaging, humorous and very on topic story that spotlights our current fixation on performances instead of Christ and the Gospel. We live messy lives and this movie shows even with our messy bits, Christ still loved us to provide a way to bring it to the cross. Funny, heartfelt and good movie for the whole family.
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jillaidan9 June 2022A bit cheesy but a great movie! Hits all the notes for post modern Christianity verses Biblical Christianity. Corny at times, but funny! Definitely a great relaxing movie that'll make you laugh!
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shanemacquarrie18 March 2022This is a movie that pokes fun at some of the more prolific mega churches and American Christians. Guy keeps telling the people that if they miss this, they miss the point, which is exactly what so many do.
For those who are upset about this movie, develop a sense of humor.
For those who can enjoy it, pay attention to what Guy has to say about Jesus being enough. Then go subscribe to Pureflix and watch Brother White or A Man Named Jon.