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Starring: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon
Director: Kevin Smith
Genre: Comedy
Year: 1999
Rating: 4 / 5

Riotous? Yes. Excessive? Probably. Lewd? Of course. Religiously offensive? Not in the eye's of this Catholic critic. Kevin Smith's Dogma has had so much controversy surrounding it since its inception, some might not take the time to look at what is most assuredly one of the funniest movies of the year. When Miramax dropped this film because of the negative publicity it might generate for parent company Disney, no one seemed to want to take a chance on this small, independent film. In swooped Lion's Gate to distribute the film, and while it might not be considered a box office smash, it is certainly a success. In addition, as the release date arrived and passed, the furor seemed to fade away, and what was left was a funny, outrageous, and - gasp! - thought-provoking film

Fallen angels Bartleby (Ben Affleck) and Loki (Matt Damon) are stranded in Wisconsin, and have more or less been roaming the earth for an eternity. It seems that, some time back, these two had the gall to defy God, and, for it, there were exiled from heaven. There is, however, one loophole in Catholic dogma which might allow them to return to heaven. A church is to be blessed in New Jersey in less than a week, and, if these two deposed angels can walk under the church's blessed arch, they may be allowed back into heaven. That might not seem so bad, but this mere act of defiance, along with the subsequent return to heaven of a pair of exiles, would prove God fallible, and thus upset the balance of the universe.

Enter Bethany (Linda Fiorentino), a single woman who spends her days working at an abortion clinic. One night, she receives a "visit" from Metatron (Alan Rickman), the Voice of God. In short, he explains that the fate of the world rests on whether or not she can stop Bartleby and Loki from reaching the aforementioned arch. A lot to take in in one day? Perhaps, but Metatron assures her that she will not be alone in her quest. The Prophets - Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (director Kevin Smith) - will help to guide her, and as she sets out on this quest, she finds even more help. The thirteenth apostle Rufus (Chris Rock) and a muse named Serendipity (Salma Hayek) both join this motley crew as they race to New Jersey to stop the unraveling of time.

If Dogma sounds confusing, that is because, at times, it is. Director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy) is blessed with a marvelous cast, and he makes sure to maximize each of their respective talents. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon reunite as America's favorite new buddy team, though, this time, they are on the wrong side of things. Alan Rickman (Die Hard) is rather amusing as the Voice of God, force to deliver messages for the Almighty because mortals cannot bear the awesome power of Her voice. Speaking of which, Smith delivers a bit of inspired casting by tabbing singer Alanis Morissette to play God, here depicted as a benevolent, playful supreme being. And bringing Chris Rock's own unique blend of in-your-face humor to the film does not hurt either. Of course, as is the case in most of Smith's movies, most of the funniest scenes are reserved for Jason Mewes (Jay) and himself (Silent Bob), both as hilarious and (in Jay's case) as vulgar as ever.

Dogma is truly inspired, and it is very far from the assault on Catholicism that it is claimed to be. Smith himself was raised Catholic, and he stresses the importance of examining one's own faith. He may poke fun at some traditional church conventions, and he definitely takes some shots at the current mindless nature of professing one's faith. Smith does mix all of this in with some rather off-kilter humor and a touch of violence, but his message should not be lost. He is not preaching for others to turn against the faith, nor is he in any way implying that he has. He merely wants everyone to look at life and the many questions it generates. He wants us to question that which we do not understand and live according to principals and ideas, not simply rehearsed lines and rituals. That is the sort of Dogma he could just as soon do without...

Cast:

Ben Affleck..........	Bartleby
Matt Damon..........	Loki
Linda Fiorentino..........	Bethany
Alan Rickman..........	Metatron
Chris Rock..........	Rufus
Salma Hayek..........	Serendipity
Jason Lee..........	Azrael
Jason Mewes..........	Jay
Kevin Smith..........	Silent Bob
Alanis Morissette..........	God

Certification: Rated R for violence and language.
Running Time: 130 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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