Salvation Boulevard (2011)

Very well executed

Good concept, poorly executed.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.

There are too Few Movies like this and it is a Shame when one comes along with such a Stellar Pedigree that has no Faith in its Dark Satire. From the Book by the Author of Wag the Dog and the Director of the Documentary Hell House (2001) and a Cast sent from Heaven, this Ends Up being a rather Lame and Forgettable Hellhound with No Bite.It Waivers from Dark Comedy to Light Comedy to Semi-Thriller and never really finds its Place. It is not all Bad but not all that Good. Christian Fundamentalists will find it Offensive, Obviously, but there really isn't Anything in this Misfire that is that Offensive.Worth a View for what might have been, but the Subject Matter that it Targets is too Soul Saving Serious not to Poke Harder with all that Talent. In the End it is just too Light to be the Dark Comedy it Pretends.

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.

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.

The most people are thinking critically VERY reluctantly. The story is just about this our peculiarity. Sometimes it is very good to watch this kind of a movie or to read this kind of a book. It keeps fit!All the actors did their jobs brilliantly, and the casting itself was on top as well. Greg Kinnear is very "recognizable", Pierce Brosnan is very "typical", Marisa Tomei and Jennifer Connelly both are very "comprehensible". Not to mention the dad (Joe Hunt) and the other small characters there... Simply a great job! The sense of humor is just the way I like it - sharp enough, but not sarcastic. One may rather like the people than find them repulsing... What I am just saying? "Them"? Us! This piece is just a lot of fun.