'Salvation Boulevard' should be a lot of fun for agnostics and atheists, and over the heads of the Christian Right. Isn't that always the case with religious comedies? It would seem 'religious comedies' ' humor is always at the expense of Christianity, not in support of it. And movies with Jesus himself in them in unorthodox positions earn right wing, organized religions' protests. But those criticizing organized religion, such as this film, go under the radar. Here, the Evangelical Church of the Third Millennium is headed by Pastor Dan Day (Pierce Brosnan) who shepherds a blissful community. This group of true believers includes Carl (Greg Kinnear), once an equally blissful Dead Head, his wife Gwen (Jennifer Connolly), one of the most zealous in the flock, and her daughter (Isabelle Fuhrman), whose eyes give away her doubt.
Carl is often singled out by the Pastor at sermons, lectures and debates as one of his most successful converts. After one such debate with scientifically and rationally oriented Professor Blaylock (Ed Harris), over a congenial brandy and conversation, and even a proposal of the two co-writing a book together, and terrible mishap occurs. Well, these things do happen, but the Pastor's conduct following the incident runs counter to everything Carl has learned under his tutelage. Carl only wants to do the obvious and right thing, which brings him into a perilous situation. How the situation worsens for Carl and how he tries to extricate himself from it becomes Kafkian and absurd. Pastor Dan shows the depth to which he and his ardent followers will go to protect the status quo (and the future community development already beyond the drawing board stage) no matter how far they must drift from the Golden Rule. Yes, it is a justifiably paranoid experience for Carl which make him hanker for the old days of Grateful Dead music, good weed and enjoyable sex. The film follows surprising turns with lots of barbs against this one particular church leader and his congregation along the way. Lots of laughs along the way. Bring a churchgoer with you under pretext of a positive perspective on religion, and have fun at his/her expense.
Salvation Boulevard
Director: George Ratliff
Writer: Douglas Stone and George Ratliff from the novel by Larry Beinhart
Cast: Greg Kinnear, Pierce Brosnan, Jennifer Connelly, Marisa Tomei, Ciaran Hinds, Isabelle Fuhrman, Ed Harris, Jim Gaffigan, Howard Hesseman
Time: 96 min.
Opening August 12 at the Opera Plaza in San Francisco
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