Salvation Boulevard

source: Salvation Boulevard

Despite what the others here or at the Box Office say, I really liked this movie. It may not be an Oscar worthy movie but it isn't a terrible movie either. I'm a big Pierce Brosnan fan and while this isn't a James Bond style film, it is an interesting genre for Brosnan, especially after Mama Mia. Brosnan's depiction of an over the top preacher, Jennifer Connelly as the true believer, "Carl"'s role as the doubter in between the deadhead and the believer and the Security Guard as the druggie/ ex-deadhead are all really amazing !! I didn't like the ending that much though, it could have been better...

The movie wasn't as good as the subject matter. Sure it has great actors, Greg, Marissa, Jennifer & Ed but the person who got me stuck was the daughter. I watched it on a morning I wasn't feeling well, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Afterwards it left me wondering all day who was the actress playing the daughter? I'd recommend it to a non-deeply religious friend. It's definitely worth a lot of thought, especially for those that have questions. It is a satire comedy that follows the theory that a terrible thing can happen to a nice person. How a guy can be so ignorantly attached to a family that has a very small grip on reality. I know people like Jennifer & her dad's character's; those that don't want to believe and who replace fantasy with reality. I don't blame them, life can be really hard.

"I am the anointed servant of God and I tell you to be silent!" Deadhead turned born-again-Christian Carl (Kinnear) is friends with the pastor of his local mega-church Dan Day (Brosnan) and is invited to accompany him to scientist Dr. Paul Blaylock's (Harris) house for a discussion. When a terrible accident happens Carl finds himself fingered in the incident and does everything he can to prove he is innocent. Things aren't always easy though. Having never seen a preview for this I was excited for this based off the cast alone. While I will say this is a good movie and a very dark comedy I was a little disappointed. The main flaw this had was that the movie had a good idea but had only ten minutes of it. There was a lot of repeating going on and a few scenes that seemed like they were only put in to increase the running time. I have to say that Brosnan and Kinnear played very similar parts to the ones they played in "The Matador" (which is a better movie) but it seems to fit them. It may sound like I'm bashing this movie. I don't mean to if that's how it comes off. I did enjoy it and laughed a few times but based off the cast I was a little disappointed (but after movies like "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and "Son Of No One" I need to stop thinking just because the cast is great means the movie will be great.) Overall, a decent dark comedy that is worth watching but tone down your expectations. I give it a B-.

This is one of those films that don't appear much on paper and you watch when you have exhausted all other avenues. I had never heard of the film and it appears to have had a very limited cinema release. I therefore wasn't expecting much. I was surprised as the cast list which boasts an impressive array of talent. Pierce Brosnan, Jennifer Connolley, Greg Kinnear, Marisa Tomei and Ed Harris are all quality actors and it would take a particularly bad script for this to be a turkey. This is a dark comedy and it doesn't always work, the plot is pretty flimsy and at times especially early on it drags a bit but once it hits its stride there are plenty of dark comedic moments as Greg Kinnear (an excellent performance) goes on the run. This film probably won't be anything you haven't seen before but it is pretty entertaining and worth at least one watch.

I hate to state the obvious but Pierce Brosnan isn't funny. He may be very talented at all kinds of other genres, but in this film he seems to constantly choose the non-funny way of playing every scene . Jennifer Connelly ditto, but she probably knows she's not funny. Greg Kinnear is wont to be superficial, but when he is well directed he can be amusing. Here he has very little to work with, character-wise, and is irritatingly dull. There are so many sequences in this film that could be funny, but aren't, due to a combination of casting and direction. It's a film full of unrealised potential. Marisa Tomei, actually seems to have an idea of who her character is, and in her lamentably scant appearances is convincing and winning. She wrung a few laughs out of me, because she is almost director-proof. Ciaran Hinds, similarly, almost works. I did keep watching because the plotting is well wrought. In other words: I wanted to see what would happen next. BUT Comedy is just about the toughest gig to pull off. It needs an experienced comedy director and leads who are funny. Stop wasting money!

If you are not part of it – what could be a better subject for satire than a big Texas like Evangelical Church? Director and co-writer George Ratliff did just this thing and interestingly enough he told us that the previews are doing well in the midst of the bible belt. In addition to a well-written story with some good comedy and many surprise twists, this film project pulled together a great cast who created the zany characters who are up on the screen for 95 minutes. Dan Day (Pierce Brosnan) the church leader who is on the verge of building his Christian City on the Hill with a medical school, a law school and everything else when something happens that make him respond in not the most holy manner. Carl Vandermeer (Greg Kinnear), a former Deadhead (follower of the Grateful Dead) has settled into a clean life as a family man and a regular church goer when he gets tested and then can't believe he had been a follower of the good Dan Day. His journey is the heart of the film and the center of most of the comedic moments. Then there is his wife Gwen (Jennifer Connelly) who is hilarious as the dyed in the wool follower of Dan Day and his movement as well as being a weird artist. Honey Foster (Marisa Tomei) is a security guard with a heart of gold and she herself is former Deadhead who still likes to smoke her pipe. Ed Harris gets into the character of Dr. Paul Blaylock who in many people's opinion ( but not the Evangelical crowd ) would be the voice of reason, but he gets a bullet in his head which does slow him down. Most people in the theatre seemed to have had a good time. There were a lot of laughs and the satire was as expected but the story was not predictable. So a good time was had, but it probably won't be very memorable. FilmRap.net

While watching this film I couldn't help but laugh but not that I found it to be that funny but because I have actually met over the top religious nut cases in real life. They were my schoolteachers and this movie really took me back to those days where instead of learning math I was learning stuff like if you play an electrical guitar you'll go straight to hell or when you sneeze it's really the man upstairs busy shortening your lifespan by taking away pieces of your breath. Believe it or not that was what my high schoolteachers told their students and it didn't end there. I found SALVATION BOULEVARD funny because the characters in some ways closely resembled my teachers and if I was to show them this film they would undoubtedly freak out and say it makes a mockery out of them. If however you fall into the class of normal people and get easily offended I wouldn't recommend it. Actually I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it at all. It's really a stupid movie if you consider the plot. Some might find it funny others might find it just plain stupid. The only thing really noteworthy about it is the acting, each of the cast members play their parts very well. The film itself never really gets boring but does get slightly annoying in certain places. Final Verdict, it's really not worth going out of your way to see, but if you are curious enough to see it then by all means. I found it funny for completely different reasons so I can't say other people will find it funny but seeing the actors in this film give their over the top performances is worth it if you've come across people like those portrayed in this movie in real life.

I gotta hand it to writer/director George Ratliff for being so bold. I'm not just talking about offending audiences. I'm saying if God does exist, then there's certainly a hot seat in store for Georgie Boy. Actually I'm kidding. "Salvation Boulevard", while being unapologetically one-sided, isn't so offensive that religious folks can't laugh about it. I'd like to think it pokes fun at the hypocrisy of certain religious leaders, not religion itself. But what do I know. I'm pacifist and yet I enjoyed Deathwish 1 thru 5. Right off the bat, "Salvation Boulevard" gets points for its wacky, original plot. A celebrity televangelist, played by Pierce Brosnan, and a recently-converted (but thoroughly confused) ex-Deadhead, played by Greg Kinnear, get wrapped up in an unintentional crime against an atheist (Ed Norton). Due to a series of panicked, bad decisions, it just keeps getting deeper & deeper for both of them. Our hero, the Deadhead, is sort of an Everyman character who muddles his way through the madness without ever seeming to comprehend what's going on. Conversely, Brosnan the televangelist thinks he's in control, but his situation (and his moral fiber) rapidly unwind as he starts suffering from delusions that the Devil is hot on his trail. Adding to the fun are some equally wacky characters: Marisa Tomei as the flaky retro-hippie girl, Jennifer Connelly as the insanely obsessed follower, Jim Gaffigan as the even-MORE-insanely obsessed follower (I'm talking "Terminator" obsessed), Yul Vazquez as the comically sinister Mexican crime boss, and a host of others thrown in. "Salvation Boulevard" is a roller-coaster dark comedy that reminds me of the unknown gems "Grand Theft Parsons" (about 2 guys who decide to steal the body of famed musician Gram Parsons) and "Leaves of Grass" (about a hillbilly and his yuppie brother who get wrapped up in a crazy drug caper). And of course there's the classic oldie "Fletch Lives" (where Chevy Chase takes on a questionable TV ministry). All of these films are worth a watch and should get some lols out of everyone.

Especially if they are religious. Of course if you really look close into the movie, you could also make the case that this might actually be quite good to religion. Or to those who believe in God that is. You can always read things into it, if you are willing to. I think one should be open minded to movies like this. It's not really offensive. Men (and women) are weak, that's just the way it is. Plus the cast is phenomenal! Every role is a name actor, even if it's the smallest, it seems they got someone with value. When Jim Gaffigan is the least known (a really good comedian), than you know you have hit the jackpot. You might argue that some characters are not really drawn all that well or thorough, but there is only limited time. While they could've done some things better, that is something you can always say about a movie