Dial a Prayer

This is a somber film with complex themes that imparts positive messages without singing to the rooftops about any of them. In part it's about being the odd woman out on religious beliefs, but it neither lampoons religion nor celebrates atheism. Rather, it begins with a woman who could not be less connected to the tenets she's about to have to espouse, and it shows her slowly grow more at ease with them, even if she never quite signs up for membership. Still, it leaves viewers with a sense of the importance of community for everyone, particularly that having faith in people is a good thing, even if that faith isn't traditional religious observance.

Acting from Brittany Snow and William H. Macy are what make this film work, as their characters struggle to reconcile their distinctly different perspectives on life. This isn't a slam dunk for either camp when it comes to religious belief, but for open-minded Christians and fans of indie films without too tidy resolutions, it's a well-acted, provocative look at what it means to redeem yourself and the often uneasy coexistence our deepest personal beliefs can create with our fellow humans.