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Dogma
- Review Date: July 6, 2007
- R
- Genre: Comedy
- 1999
Common Sense Media says
Controversial comedy is irreverent and bloody.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that although this is a Kevin Smith comedy, it's controversial for its religious theme and elements. Although the Catholic League condemned the film, Smith maintains its message regarding the Christian faith is actually positive. Like most of Smith's comedies, this movie contains explicit conversations about sex, marijuana use, and a lot of strong language (they love the "f" word especially and you'll notice that quite a bit of dialogue is dubbed over when this plays on Comedy Central). There are also several violent scenes involving two renegade angels and a few demons, but the blood is over-the-top and almost cartoonish in nature.
What's the story?
Bethany (Linda Fiorentino) is a Planned Parenthood employee who also goes to church every Sunday. She's visited by an angel (Alan Rickman) and commanded to stop the renegade angels Loki and Bartleby from entering a particular Catholic church in New Jersey. If the angels succeed, they will undo existence. The 13th apostle Rufus (Rock), two earthly "prophets" -- Jay and Silent Bob, and the heavenly muse Serendipity (Hayek) all help Bethany on her divine mission. While Bethany struggles to make it to Jersey with her merry band of holy and very unholy characters, she slowly learns more and more hidden truths about God (he's a she) and Jesus (he hates it when hypocrites and televangelists pretend to do his bidding). As she reaches enlightenment, Loki and Bartleby go on an Old Testament-style killing spree, murdering the unfaithful, ungrateful unbelievers.
Is it any good?
Kevin Smith is not a subtle writer-director. His films, with the exception of the watered-down romantic comedy Jersey Girl, rival Tarantino and Mamet for their talky, explicit dialogue and Allen and Guest for their troupe-like use of the same actors (Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes). DOGMA, which is Smith's most controversial film (and he's had plenty), is exactly what a moviegoer should expect from a Smith fantasy, except with a higher-minded theme (Christianity) and a few more A-listers (Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, and Alanis Morissette -- as God -- all joined his regular crew). It's got a lot of sex talk (characters Jay and Silent Bob, played by Mewes and Smith, rarely discuss anything but sex unless it's drugs) and Catholic jokes.
But it also pokes fun at New Jersey (its residents and the state itself), skeeball, pro-choice AND pro-life activists, African Americans, strippers, churchgoers, atheists, homosexuals… and the list goes on. Call it equal-opportunity mockery (think South Park), but not blasphemous, as the Catholic League contended. Without spoiling the ending, it's safe to say that Smith lets good triumph over evil. Women -- in the form of an incarnate God and "her" chosen one Bethany -- save humanity, and Smith allows for a message that's downright inspirational. Despite the controversy, Dogma seems directed by a former altar boy, which Smith is, believe it or not.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about whether Kevin Smith went too far by lampooning Christianity and the Catholic Church in particular. Is there a redeeming message about faith at the end or is it just offensive from start to finish? Do you think this fantasy comedy merited all of the controversy it stirred up or not?
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AGE
What's the big f**king deal?!
I mean I'M a Christian and I LOVED this movie! Jason Lee was excellent, Alan Rickman was both brilliant an HILARIOUS, and Chris Rock was a lot less annoying than I expected! But b4 I get into my review: VIOLENCE: 7 people r murdered/shot w guns offscreen but blood is seen splatting on to the surroundings; a guys head bursts(not explodes! NOT explodes!!! Not enough blood to call it an explosion. It just kinda "POP"'s); A woman is electrocuted in the side and we see blood, a guy is stabbed; two ppl r thrown off a train("No ticket"-Indiana Jones referance XD); and in one over view shot we see many mutilated bloody bodies that were killed in all MANOR of ways. SEXUAL STUFF: Sexual and very crude dialogue throughout; a pole dancer in a bra and panties; NO NUDITY!!!!! Yeah! FINALLY an R comedy w/o nudity! I gave this movie extra points 4 that! LANGUAGE: Pervasive uses of f, s, d, gd, etc. But no uses of c...I think. CONSUMERISM: A certain "Mooby's" is OBVIOUSLY supposed to be a stand-in for a certain "McDonald's." DRINKING/DRUGS: Characters drink occasionally and smoke or talk about smoking often, but not always or pervasively. NEGATIVE ROLE MODELS: Some characters are selfish but they're all bad guys. GOOD ROLE MODELS: Bethany has to comes to term w her faith and destiny, SPOILER'S WILL B CAPITOLIZED: AND SACRIFICES HERSELF, she also has to accept that just bc she found out what she has to do, doesn't change who she is. "You're Bethany, and no one can take that away from you. You're still who u were, nothing's been taken away. This is just some extra info u can add to that." Characters act selflessly and put themselves in danger to protect one another. A villain, once he has an epiphany, tries to stop the other villain from carrying out his plans. Strong female characters. God is looked at as "inflagnable" or something meaning he is All Powerful. One villain speeches about how God gave us so much and yet we act so selfishly and some of us don't even believe he EXISTS! And though his speech leads on to worse things, it really opened MY eyes. Bc, in all honesty, I'm one selfish mofo. REVIEW: Now, this is nowhere NEAR a perfect movie, but I would've given it 5 stars if Matt Damon's character had a more climactic ending. But still, this is a pretty fugg'n funny movie! I thought the S**t Demon was kind of an immature joke, but the movie gave me a lot more than what I expected from it. I just expected some stupid raunchy rated R comedy(I was thinking, "I should watch Speed instead." But I got a surprisingly spiritual and postive movie. Yeah, the thing about the hidden 18 yr.'s thing was bulls**t. Yeah, the whole "loophole" thing in general is bulls**t. But D**N! It's an f-in comedy ppl! A rated R comedy at that! It didn't decensitize me anymore than I already am! I didn't expect to GET anything out of it, but I DID! B4 this movie, I was kinda on the fence about my Christianity, but after Bartleby's speech, it made me realize how ungrateful and selfish I was. Now there's no doubt in my mind that God exists! In conclusion, I thought this was a kick-a** movie! In fact, just bc of Alan Rickman and Jason Lee's(only cn him in Alvin and the Chipmunks 1 and 2 and Underdog, and My Name Is Earl b4 this) performances, and the fact that I actually GOT something from this movie, I'm gonna change my rating to FIVE stars! Yeah! If u liked this review then check out my others and plz, don't forget to compliment! Later!
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AGE
Funny but....
It was the stupid kind of funny mostley where you kind of half groan half laugh.
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AGE
Buddy Christ!
George Carlin was hilarious in this movie, as was the whole cast. Awesome movie.
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AGE
This is a brilliant movie. It treats religious belief seriously and understands the pain that loss of faith can cause. It puts women in a position of power. While it could be upsetting to those who fear to question faith, it ultimately affirms the comfort and value of embracing God.
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AGE
great movie with a good morale
this movie was kick @$$ it was awesome it was so funny silent bob and and all the actors from clerks omg i practicaly peed my pants i bet god is a black chick it is a must see from my point of view if your parents are really down on the whole christ thing i wouldn't see it around them then again the language is another reason for that.i think this movie deserves a 5 out of 5
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AGE
Full of emotion, full of laughs. Great film.
Ok, first off, I think this is a great movie & personally feel it's Kevin Smith's best work. Second, this is not for kids. My understanding of the US rating system isn't as full as my understanding of the UK rating system, but I grew up in the UK...my point is for example, in the UK this was rated 15 - I believe this was a mistake by the BBFC however. It should have been rated 18 (the next rating up) or somewhere between preferably (I reeeeally think it's time for the UK system to undergo a total overhaul. Cause hardly any movies are given an approriate rating there anymore). I really don't like all this passing off the harshness of something (be it language, sex or violence) in a movie "because it was done for comedic affect/in a comical way"...afterall there's comical and "comical". I see what some people who use these phrases mean - but lots of people who use them are just copying what they've heard somebody else say (that old chestnut), so have not really considered the full implications! Imo a movie like this or, for example, a movie like 40 Year Old Virgin (that has nearly 300 F words I believe - plus the other words) should be rated more harshly on the frequency of the swearing and receive an 18 not a 15 (if indeed, language is an issue as we're constantly taught it is). ...Anyyyway, this movie has no sex, but there is quite a bit of talk of it (tho NOTHING like the level in 40 Year Old Virgin) and many many uses of sexual swear words. There is also a fair amount of bloody violence. There is some drinking and mention of smoking herb, but nothing is really seen well on that score - this isn't a Cheech and Chong movie lol! It is a very funny movie though. And being somebody who's parents tried to raise Catholic but is actually an Athiest, I found the whole crisis of faith plot points of Bethany but particularly Bartleby & Loki really well done (you really feel Bartleby's frustration)! Ben Affleck gets a raw deal imo next to Matt Damon, imo they are both EQUALLY good actors. And Affleck is the bomb in Dogma, yo! There is a little toilet humour...lol literally!..But ultimately nothing of that type of really cringy "humour" that grosses you out. There's also a few great nods to the world of Star Wars and Indiana Jones among others too. My advice is to sit back ready to chill, switch your brain off, and let this movie draw you in...you won't regret it :)
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AGE
Yes!
Hilarious. Entertaining. Amazing.
This is one of the best comedies ever made. Period. A hilarious religious satire
that mostly takes stabs at catholics.
Some christians will be offended, but i am one and found it pleasing anyway.
Don't take it too seriously...its a comedy...
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AGE
Not For Younger Kids
Good role models = they all come out good in the end,
While I'm not religious, this movie still attracted me, and I loved it.
There's a lot of blood and violence....and LITERALLY feces (big poop monster demon), lots of mentioning of the devil and God and weighs heavily on the Christian religion, a stripper scene, and people doing crazy things like falling from the sky.
Something good about it is that some of the strongest characters (i.e. Bethany, the muse, God) were all women.
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| Studio: | Lionsgate |
| Director: | Kevin Smith |
| Cast: | Ben Affleck, Linda Fiorentino, Matt Damon |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 128 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | July 6, 1999 |
| DVD release date: | June 26, 2001 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | strong language including sex-related dialogue, violence, crude humor and some drug content |
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