DOGMA
1999 -- R -- 130 mins
Directed and written by Kevin Smith
Linda Fiorentino: Bethany Sloane
Ben Affleck: Bartleby
Matt Damon: Loki
Chris Rock: Rufus
Salma Hayek: Serendipity
Jason Mewes: Jay
Kevin Smith: Silent Bob
Alan Rickman: Metatron
Jason Lee: Azrael
George Carlin: Cardinal Glick
Alanis Morissette: God
Janeane Garofalo: Liz
Also starring: Bud Cort * Jeff Anderson * Brian O'Halloran * Dwight Ewell *
Walter Flanagan * Scott Mosier * Ethan Suplee *
"Holy shit! It's the Pope!"
PLOT SYNOPSIS
Bethany Sloane works at an abortion clinic, and though she continues to go to church, no longer has her Catholic faith. Then one night her life is disrupted by the appearance of the angel Metatron in her bedroom. He informs the rather startled woman that she's destined to set out on a mission to save all existence from destruction, by preventing two rogue angels, Loki and Bartleby, from entering a church in New Jersey. The two angels have discovered a back door to Heaven, and if they go through the church's doors, they return to Heaven, and this will bring about the end of everything God has created.
Bethany reluctantly sets out on her mission, and she hooks up with a number of unusual allies: the angelic muse-then stripper Serendipity, the 13tth apostle Rufus, who was left out of the bible because he was black, and a pair of slacker stoners, Silent Bob and Jay.
Along the way, Bethany must face truths about the world around her, her beliefs, and her own existence.
JANEANES CHARACTER
Janeane has a minor cameo here, as she often seems to these days. She's Liz, a friend and co-worker of Bethany at the abortion clinic. Considering all the outrageous and memorable things that follow in Dogma, her brief appearance could be forgettable for most viewers. But it's good to see her, and she has an amusing bit where she outwits pro-life protesters.
MY REVIEW
***1/2
Since I first heard about Dogma in late 97-early 98, I was intrigued. And when I later learned that the cast would include three of my favorite celebrity females, Janeane Garofalo, Alanis Morissette and Salma Hayek, I was excited. But the downside was that the movie wouldn't see theatrical release here in New Zealand until late April, 2000! So I was very thrilled to finally get a chance to see it.
Dogma is an unusual mixture of truly thought-provoking drama and (as Kevin Smith likes to say) "dick and fart" jokes. The big question was could these two elements not only co-exist, but make for a riveting movie. The answer is a big yes. Smith, who proved he could handle dramatics amongst the comedy with his superb Chasing Amy, jumps headlong into the issues of faith, beliefs and spirituality, drawing on his own Catholic upbringing to make points and raise questions. He doesn't have all the answers, but he has plenty of ideas.
The movie received so much bad press from religious groups, claiming it was offensive and insulting. This simply is not true. Sure, Smith takes many potshots at the church, but it's not meanspirited. As a character in the movie says, God has a sense humor.
The cast is remarkable, and Linda Fiorentino stands above them all. The always wonderful actress brings so much depth and warmth to Bethany. We really feel for this woman, and what she has to go through. Her
spiritual allies in the movie are Chris Rock (Rufus), Salma Hayek (Serendipity) and Alan Rickman (Metatron) all bring a lot to the roles. Rickman starts out as very aloof with Bethany, but soon becomes a source of comfort and wisdom.
His performance is a real joy to watch, and frequently hilarious. Hayek brings her typical
mega-sex appeal, but also back its up with a solid performance. She doesn't
always deliver, but there are some terrific moments for her. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are engagingly cast as the two fallen angels Loki and Bartleby, and their winning rapport shines through, even when they're doing some less than likeable things. Affleck is especially effective, as Bartleby undergoes a change towards the end, and his character becomes rather frightening. And of course, what's a Kevin Smith movie without Silent Bob and Jay? Smith and Jason Mewes are utterly hilarious as always, and actually grow more humane as they spend time with Bethany. The supporting cast is full of familiar faces, including a number of Smith veterans, most importantly Jason Lee as the white suit-clad demon Azrael. But the film's most charming moment comes in the form of God, played by pop diva Alanis Morissette. The singer is absolutely delightful as the loving, playful, yet silent Supreme Being. Her scene is unforgettable.
To be fair, this is technically crude movie and not without it's dead spots.
What's more, it's highly uneven throughout. The changes in tone are quite
jarring at times, and you feel that Smith is on the verge of losing control a
couple of times (such as in pointless and disappointing shit demon sequence).
Yet despite all this, the movie works because of the good will of everyone,
especially Smith himself. The film is so jammed packed with fresh ideas and
fascinating developments that it all manages to come together despite itself.
DOGMA VIDCAPS (Scanned by me, Earl)
