Saved! Review
by Laura Clifford (laura AT reelingreviews DOT com)June 14th, 2004
SAVED!
------
In the summer before her Senior year at a Baptist high school, Mary (Jena Malone, "The United States of Leland") learns a horrifying secret from her boyfriend Dean (Chad Faust) - he thinks he's gay. A bonk on the head in the swimming pool convinces her she's had a vision of Jesus who gives her a mission, and so Mary gives Dean her virginity in order that he might be "Saved!"
Cowriter (with Michael Urban)/director Brian Dannelly picks an easy target with self righteous holy rollers, but his heavenly cast and funny dialogue make this one a fun ride.
Mary starts the school year with a double barrelled jolt. First, best friend Hilary Faye (Mandy Moore, "Chasing Liberty") 'pins' her as a Christian Jewel, a morality police squad masquerading as a do-gooders. Mary's happy high is then dashed when Dean's parents inform her that he's been sent to Mercy House to be cured of his homosexuality. Mary makes Hilary Faye promise to keep this secret, but when Mary begins suffering morning sickness, she tells no one. Her coverup is seen through by class outcast Cassandra (Eva Amurri, "The Banger Sisters"), a Jewish girl thrown out of every other school because of her wild ways. When Mary begins hanging out with Cass and Roland (Macaulay Culkin, "Party Monster"), Hilary Faye's wheelchair bound brother, she's booted from the Jewels who then try to bring her back to the path of righteousness with the guidance of Pastor Skip (Martin Donovan, "The United States of Leland"). Meanwhile Skip's son Patrick (Patrick Fugit, "White Oleander"), who is being relentlessly pursued by Hilary Faye, tries to romance Mary while Mary's mom Lillian (Mary-Louise Parker, "Red Dragon") pursues the pastor.
Dannelly begins right away with the obvious, delivering gags like Mary denying Dean's sexual orientation while gazing at his picture - as a figure skater. It's Jena Malone's innocence of delivery that puts the joke over, just as her earnest 'I hope it's cancer, I hope it's cancer' incantation is funny when it follows a scene of Mary and mom watching Valerie Bertinelli on Oxygen as a cancer patient who thought her symptoms indicated pregnancy. Mandy Moore shows her range playing her goody two shoes image against itself, although she is a bit stifled by her character's inherent cliche. Still, her self-centered villainy is reminiscent of Reese Witherspoon's Tracy Flick and she gets to use her heavenly pipes performing Brian Wilson's "God Only Knows." Perhaps most enjoyable are Eva Amurri, whose 'speaking in tongues' during Pastor's Skip's sermon is hilariously rebellious and Macaulay Culkin in his best ever performance as the droll social commentator who falls for her. Culkin's delivery slam dunks some of the film's funniest lines. Fugit displays the same unsickly sweetness that made him such a pleasure in "Almost Famous."
While self righteous morality is easy to skewer, Dannelly adds irony by making his group of Christians suburban soccer types who are never challenged by life's hardships. More than once, Hilary Faye barely masks her pique at losing out on a gold Lexus for the handicap-equipped SUV she's been saddled with and prayer meetings are used for social scheming rather than be wasted on the truly needy. In fact, it should be noted that Mary's dilemma was exacerbated by the type of wealth that commands the presence of a pool boy.
Dannelly may merely skin the surface of teen comedy with "Saved!," but he shows a knack for well placed punch lines and creating a well-oiled ensemble.
B
For more Reeling reviews visit http://www.reelingreviews.com
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
