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Saved (2004)

Saved
"Let's face it - what we're really 'Saving' is Mandy Moore's credibility as an actress."

Starring:

Jena Malone
Mandy Moore
MaCauley Culkin
Patrick Fugit and Mary Louise Parker

Released By:

United Artists

Released In:

2004

Rated:

PG-13

Reviewed By:

Adam Mast

Grade:

B


Saved! could be described as Heathers goes to church although this new religious satire from director Brian Dannelly never really attempts to go as far as Michael Lehmann's brutal, but hilarious look at the perils of attending high school. This picture is a little more gentle (bringing the recent Mean Girls to mind) in it's glimpse at faith and organized religion.

In this somewhat controversial comedy, Jena Malone plays Mary (I know, it's not very subtle), a confused teenager whose life takes a drastic turn after deciding to have sex with her boyfriend. An act she performs only because she believes it to be God's will. A divinely inspired intervention designed to cure him from his apparent homosexuality.

Afraid and concerend, Mary keeps a huge secret from her friends and classmates at the Baptist High School she attends. This proves to be no easy task as the pride and joy of this particular high school is an overachieving religious zealot who would make Election's Tracy Flick proud. No conquest is too big for Hilary Faye, however. She even has her eyes set on converting new student Cassandra, a total bad girl who, subsequently, engages in a relationship with Hilary's handicapped brother (played by Macaulay Culkin). In fact it becomes Cassandra mission to make Hilary's life a living hell, but the more she messes with the God fearing teenager, the more committed Hilary becomes.

Saved! has stirred up controversy (albeit not as much as movies like Last Temptation of Christ, The Passion and Dogma), but films about religion often do. In all fairness, this movie doesn't really make fun of faith. It embraces it. Through a satirical edge, it attempts to dissect certain beliefs, and challenges the audience to re-evaluate their outlook on various topics (be it homosexuality or teen pregnancy).

Jena Malone has emerged as a fine young actress and has come a long way since her days in Stepmom, appearing in pictures like Life as a House and the United States of Leland. She delivers her strongest work to date in the role of Mary, a typical teenager with added pressure brought on by her religious surroundings. Malone is extremely low key, and even though Saved! is quite often funny, it's isn't without it's serious moments. None more so than a scene in which Mary reveals she'd rather have cancer than find out she's pregnant. That's a powerful and all too disturbing statement.

Mandy Moore also gives her best performance to date, and her turn in Saved! will, no doubt, open the door to stronger parts in the future. She's very funny as Hilary Faye, a teenager who's perhaps a little misguided. In fact, at one point in the picture, she becomes so obsessed with exacting a measure of righteous revenge and justice, she resorts to the sort of behavior she so religiously campaigns against.

The film is also populated by several strong supporting players including Almost Famous' Patrick Fugit and the talented (and underused) Mary-Louise Parker. I quite enjoyed Saved. I'm not an overly religious person. Sure, I have faith and I do believe in God, but I've never been one for organized religion. I've always felt that faith is a personal relationship between a person and God, and sometimes, certain churches distort that. There's this saying that you can't judge a religion by the people who belong to it, but sometimes that's easier said then done. Saved! is certainly proof of that.

There really is a lot to admire here. I particularly enjoyed Eva Amurri's take on the bad girl, a teenager who puts up a front, but ultimately, has a pretty big heart. I also enjoyed Mary-Louise Parker, so good as Mary's mom. I loved her relationship with the principle of the high school.

Where Saved really lost me, was in it's heavyhanded final act. The movie loses it's satirical edge and replaces it with obvious mechanics and a big, pretentious prom scene. I really liked what the film was trying to say, but I didn't care for the fashion in which it said it. It was far too pat for my taste.

Still, Saved is quite courgeous in many ways. Hopefully, this picture won't be misunderstood. It isn't an anti-religous movie. It's really a picture about tolerence and loving one another. Leave the judging to God.

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