Playing God

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Playing God
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Playing God is a drama about brother-sister con artists who are trying to achieve the ultimate con: deceiving a grieving billionaire by pretending to know God (one crook even pretends to be God). Characters drink heavily to numb the pain of grief and loss, a drug overdose is mentioned, and a couple of scenes include vomit. There's also a brief instance of torture and a scene with a gun stand-off (they're never fired). Not only do the con artists pretend to be angels, but they also pretend to channel the spirit of the billionaire's dead daughter. While this might not sit well with all viewers of faith, the film's message is ultimately about accepting grief and finding meaning in life.
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What's the Story?
PLAYING GOD is a dramedy about con artists pretending to know -- and be -- God. Twins Micah (Luke Benward) and Rachel (Hannah Kasulka) rope their father figure, Frank (Michael McKean), into the biggest scheme of their criminal career: getting Frank to pretend he's God so they can rob a grieving billionaire (Alan Tudyk). The catch is that Micah and Rachel need the money before an even worse criminal comes after them. And it turns out there's more story about why Micah wants to take this particular billionaire for all he's worth.
Is It Any Good?
Playing God is a stealth crowd-pleaser. Shot on location in Houston, it's both an entertaining dramedy about charismatic criminals plan a high-stakes con and a sly meditation on religion, spirituality, and grief. Kasulka and Benward might play twins, but they couldn't be farther apart in terms of characteristics. Both actors play their characters convincingly, with Kasulka the more compelling of the two. Her Rachel might be well-versed in cons, but she's clearly not cut out to be a career criminal. She has a ton of heart and kindness -- more than her brother, whose understanding of their family history has made him bitter and jaded. Their actual relationship with Ben, the grieving billionaire, shows the gulf of their differing philosophies on life.
McKean is able to explore both his comedic and dramatic chops as Frank, who has to develop a wise but mysterious, grandfatherly character for his interpretation of God. His take on God is both comforting and commanding, seemingly all-knowing while being emotionally opaque. Meanwhile, Frank, when he's not pretending to be God, is a lovable con who taught Rachel and Micah everything they know. McKean makes the impossible idea that God could show up wearing a three-piece suit seem somehow plausible. Overall, Playing God is a fun, entertaining film that also traverses the landscape of grief and examines how far that emotion will take us to try to find some relief, hope, and closure.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about empathy. How big of a role does empathy play in the characters' lives? How does having empathy advance the story and humanize the characters?
How is grief portrayed in Playing God? Is it realistic? Relatable? In what ways do you handle grief?
Many religious people seek God for answers and clarity. How does the film reflect humanity's search for meaning in life?
How do Micah's grief and anger play into his characterization? Does he grow in the film?
How does Ben evolve over the course of the film? How does he reconcile his grief?
Movie Details
- In theaters: August 6, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: August 6, 2021
- Cast: Hannah Kasulka, Luke Benward, Michael McKean, Alan Tudyk
- Director: Scott Brignac
- Studio: Vertical Entertainment
- Genre: Drama
- Character Strengths: Compassion, Empathy
- Run time: 95 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: July 25, 2022
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