Common Sense Media Review
Dark comedy about religion has cursing, sex, drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Saved!
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 16 kid reviews
Kids say the film is a mix of humor and coming-of-age themes that resonate well with teenagers, particularly those from private school backgrounds. Many viewers appreciate its positive messages about acceptance and individuality, even though some find it a bit racy or boring.
- positive messages
- relatable characters
- humorous tone
- varied opinions
- suitable for teens
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In SAVED!, Mary (Jena Malone) is about to start her senior year at the Eagle Mountain Christian School when her boyfriend Dean confesses that he thinks he's gay. She decides to "save" him by having sex with him, believing that it won't count as losing her virginity if it's for such a holy purpose. But Dean's parents find gay porn in his room and send him off to a facility to be "cured." Mary finds out that she's pregnant, and begins to question whether the faith she has accepted as it was presented to her is a fair portrayal of the teachings of Jesus. Then there's Hillary Faye (Mandy Moore), who uses her literal "holier-than-thou" status to rule the school, especially her in-crowd group, called the Christian Jewels. On the other side, because they're willing to ask questions, are the school's only Jewish student, Cassandra (Eva Amurri), Hillary Faye's brother Roland (Macauley Culkin), confined to a wheelchair due to a childhood accident, and Pastor Skip's son Patrick (Patrick Fugit), who is interested in Mary.
Is It Any Good?
The first thing teens figure out is that it's enticingly easy to make fun of believers in any category; what's nice about this movie is that it does so while still being entirely respectful of belief. It begins as a satire of new-agey holier-than-thou people who spend more time worrying about the appearance of Christianity than the values. But it concludes with a renewed commitment to a faith that engages the mind and heart. You could even call it grace.
The script teeters into predictability at times, but the outstanding young cast is wonderfully vibrant, especially Amurri, whose freshness -- in both senses of the word -- works very well for her character. As the school's pastor, Martin Donovan makes it clear that his character is genuinely a man of faith who isn't quite sure if he has what it takes to inspire others to share what he feels so strongly in his heart. Hillary Faye uses her faith to establish her power and prestige. She, too, has a secret that fuels her need to control the way she's perceived. The movie isn't afraid to skewer its targets, but, importantly, it's careful to make those targets hypocrisy and arrogance and not faith. Indeed, the movie makes it clear that superficial professions of faith are a distraction from genuine commitment to the values that are the basic principles of Christianity or any religion.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how they think about their own religion and the religions practiced by others. Mary asks, "Why would God make us all different if he wanted us to be the same?"
How does the movie use satire to make more serious points? What are some other examples of movies, TV shows, and books that employ satire as a way to provoke thought and reflection on society and human nature?
Does the dark humor help or hinder the movie's overall themes and messages?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 28, 2004
- On DVD or streaming : October 5, 2004
- Cast : Jena Malone , Macaulay Culkin , Mandy Moore
- Director : Brian Dannelly
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Pansexual Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : MGM/UA
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 92 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong thematic issues involving - sexual content, pregnancy, smoking and language
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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