Masterful Movie

Good concept, poorly executed.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Or, to put the question another way, will Rick Warren put out a contract on writer/director John August if he ever learns this short film (11 minutes, 24 seconds, included on the DVD with THE NINES, also written/directed by August) exists? Actually, Judy Blume is more likely to go gunning for August on grounds of plagiarism (the main character of the short, who constantly gossips with God on her clunky white cordless phone, is named Margaret, so you can guess the film's punchline) than any Christian fundamentalist is to issue a fatwa against him for blasphemy. God just takes a gentle ribbing in this movie, and during their brief estrangement when Margaret tries to commit the "unforgivable sin" by downing a pork chop, she ends up spitting it out. It's likely the young pastors of many new age "youth churches" would be able to show GOD at sermon time, and tailor their message to dovetail nicely with the flick's talking points. So, if your cousin or friend is such a shepherd, please share this message with them: GOD exists!

Anyone deciding they need to write or direct a short needs to see this movie. A perfect short - funny, with a deceptively simple and sweet story that is meticulously executed. Melissa McCarthy was a great casting choice. Though I have not seen it in a few years, I remember thinking she was the cute, chubby girl who sat next to me in Catholic school who never really got "it", and never really got into trouble. However, everyone has their breaking point, which we saw in this movie. The best part about it, the character is not in on the joke (and in my opinion, when your actor is in on the joke, it's rarely funny.) Quick, witty dialogue, great casting, good photography and good direction make this a totally enjoyable watch. p.s. if you've seen John August's "Go", Melissa McCarthy is in that as well. There is a scene when two characters unexpectedly show up while the character played Melissa McCarthy is on the phone. Surprised by their visit, she says something to the effect of "Oh...Oh, God, I gotta go", a cool little nod/cross pollination of two great movies that would be missed if you hadn't seen both.