“Saved!” (United Artists)
Some have called the new film “Saved!” the anti-“Passion” film, but it should be viewed as more a supplement than a contradiction. This “little” film is more about tolerance and hypocrisy than anything else and should be viewed in that light. Mandy Moore, Jena Malone, Macaulay Culkin, Eva Amurri and Patrick Fugit create characters who are flawed but trying, and that is a positive lesson for us all.
Mary (Malone) is part of Hilary Faye’s (Moore) clique. This group spouts the words of the Bible and tries to convert others to their way of belief. At their Christian school there is no room for the non-believer as transfer student Cassandra (Amurri) quickly finds. She is Jewish and that is anathema to Hilary Faye and her band of do-gooders.
Mary is part of all this until she learns her boyfriend Dean (Chad Faust) is gay. At this time she receives a revelation from God telling her to do whatever is necessary to save Dean. She takes this to mean she should have sex with him and she does. When she learns she is pregnant and that Dean has been taken to a medical facility to cure him of his homosexuality, she begins to doubt her intolerant views of religion.
Not all of the people in the film are drawn as Christian fanatics. Patrick (Fugit), the son of the school founder and minister (Martin Donovan), is a believer but one who is tolerant. Mary also becomes a more tolerant person while retaining her faith. So it is not a film that divides the world into a “them and us” mentality.
The acting in the movie is solid with Mandy Moore playing against type and being outstanding. Hilary Faye is an exact opposite of the role she played in “A Walk To Remember.”
Culkin scores acting points as the wheelchair bound brother of Hilary Faye. He still looks just like that little kid in “Home Alone” but with the hint of a more mature devil in him. Eva Amurri, who is the daughter of Susan Sarandon, shows that the acting gene did get passed along. Her “who gives a flip” attitude is one of the brightest spots of the movie.
The film is rated PG-13 for much profanity and sexual situations.
There is a lot to be learned from “Saved!” but many will overlook its message as they rush to embrace or reject its perceived anti-Christian stance. Perhaps in the long run its “religious tolerance” message will be discovered.
I scored “Saved!” a devout 6 out of 10.
