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Heather Matarazzo, Mandy Moore, and Elizabeth Thai

The third problem is that while spoofing Christians for not being tolerant enough, the movie's alternative is simply this: If God let it happen or if you are happy, then how can it be wrong? This doesn't translate well to a world that, as Saved! even tries to argue, isn't black and white. It's also dangerously confusing for believers in the Bible, a book that does specifically draw lines regarding moral behavior.

All this messiness is caused not only by poor filmmaking but also a general resentment. Several easy jokes and absurd stereotypes seem to stem purely from bitterness. Hilary Faye and Mary—inexplicably—fire guns at a shooting range. Scenes in the Christian school's sex ed class are groan-worthy. And the movie's Christians are almost universally naïve and cheesy. These jokes suggest someone behind Saved! was burned by the church, and this is their revenge—not purely an attempt to explore.

Any legitimate satire and social commentary in Saved! is blunted by this bitter malice and the messy connotations. But that's fitting for a poorly made movie. It is rarely genuinely funny, the characters are wooden, and the isn't clever or unique. The bright spot is the acting of Jena Malone who, in films like this and Life as a House, has shown real talent.

It is unfortunate the rest of the movie isn't handled with as much talent or care, because Saved! could have been a gently-challenging but affirming movie about the evangelical subculture—if handled with the same love, acceptance and tolerance it preaches.

Talk About It

1. How do the Christians in this film resemble or differ from Christians you know? How does the model of Christianity you see in your family, church and school stack up against how the Bible instructs Christians to live? How about the model of faith depicted in Saved!?
   
   
2. What direct criticisms or arguments about Christians in this movie made you angry? Which challenged you or made you think?
   
   
3. According to the movie, what does it mean to be saved? What does it mean to you? What does the Bible say?
   
   
4. The movie contends Christians need to be more accepting and tolerant of others. One character says, "If God meant us to be the same, why did he make us different?" Can you balance love and acceptance while standing against sin? How?
   
   
5. Mary has a crisis of faith. Is it understandable? What good comes of it? Should we raise questions about God? Why or why not?
   
   
6. The film's distributor also has released its own Bible Study for youth groups based on the movie.
   
   

A ready-to-download Movie Discussion Guide related to this movie is available at ChristianityTodayMoviesStore.com. Use this guide after the movie to help you and your small group better connect your faith to pop culture.

The Family Corner

The movie is harsh on Christian teens. There's a lot of swearing and discussions and jokes about sex. Sexual content includes Dean fondling Mary's breasts (covered by a swimsuit). When they have sex, the camera focuses on the rocking bedside table. There's also a weird Passion play scene where the boy playing Jesus is barely clothed and is overtly made to look sexy on the cross.

Speaking of films that will potentially provoke strong reactions from Christian moviegoers, there's a film in the works called Saved mentioned in the September 14 issue of The Vancouver Sun. It begins filming in Vancouver soon, with a cast that includes A Walk to Remember's Mandy Moore, Home Alone's Macaulay Culkin, Almost Famous's Patrick Fugit, Jena Malone, Heather Matarazzo, Mary-Louise Parker, and other familiar faces. It's being described as a "dark teen comedy" about a pregnant teenager suffering peer pressure from fellow Christian students at a Baptist high school. The film is produced by Michael Stipe of R.E.M., who described it as a sort of "monster vampire high school" movie, in which the monsters are "Jesus-freak teenagers."

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Related Elsewhere:

Mixed Reactions	Printer view
Brian Dannelly, writer/director of Saved!, says he's getting all kinds of reactions—good and bad—from Christians regarding his controversial new film about life in a Baptist high school.

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Saved! Is Right on the Money	Printer view
Many Christians are condemning this movie without even seeing it. But I think it was quite true to real life.