Dvd
Religulous
Larry Charles, director of Borat as well as highly notable episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld, turns his eye to the R-word. Religion. Your host: American comic Bill Maher.
A supermarket isle of organised religions such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Mormonism, TV evangelism and Scientology (apparently skipping Hinduism and Buddhism, strangely) are drawn into the crosshairs. Bill Maher's a disbeliever and sets out across the globe to see what's cooking for religion's followers.
Starring Bill Maher
Directed by Larry Charles ('Borat', tv's 'Curb Your Enthusiasm', 'Entourage', 'Seinfeld')
Written by Bill Maher
Documentary, Comedy | 1hr 41mins | Rated (M) | contains offensive language, sexual references, drug use | Origin: USA | Language: English, Hebrew, Arabic, Persian, Spanish with English subtitles | Official Site »
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Flicks review
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4
Seems to be these days that if you want to get a decent audience for your documentary you need a) a smart-alecky onscreen personality and b) a social institution to incredulously rally against. Think Michael Moore vs. gun control or Morgan Spurlock vs. McDonalds. Here, Bill Maher sets his sights on an even higher power, so to speak, by going after God, well Gods, and their hordes of followers.
What Maher does really well compared to the previously mentioned examples is focus more on the social institution rather than his own persona. It’s particularly rewarding because of the litany of deluded weirdos he comes up against. Soul singers turned televangelists, reformed homosexuals trying to spread the word of same-sex love’s evil, the self-proclaimed reincarnation of Jesus and a fantastically kitschy religious theme park are easy targets but choc full of realised comic potential. You could argue that the shooting fish in a barrel approach dilutes his surprisingly passionate anti-religious message, but Maher is a comedian first and foremost and a theological inquisitor second, best evidenced by the ironic splicing of stock footage and sub titles into the original material.
Not afraid to step on toes in its quest for laughs, this is as accessible and entertaining as documentaries get. Unless, of course, you have committed religious beliefs.
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The people's reviews
3 reviews
Press Reviews
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Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
You may very well hate it, but at least you've been informed. Perhaps you could enjoy the material about other religions, and tune out when yours is being discussed. That's only human nature.
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Dominion Post (Graeme Tuckett)
This film needed to be made. The only trouble is, while it's easy for avowed atheists and cynics like me to laugh along as Maher takes his pot shots at the side of the barn, we know that the people who might actually learn something from this film - like those poor bloody Bible-belt teens being dragged off to "creation museums" every weekend - are never even going to know that Religulous exists. Talk about preaching to the unconverted.
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Empire (UK)
4
It’s a rare film that can simultaneously crack you up and send a chill down your spine. Worth seeing — even for believers.
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Hollywood Reporter
By focusing so narrowly on religious fundamentalists and bigots while ignoring any spiritual dimension to religion, the film is not only being disingenuous but limits its audience to non-believers.
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Los Angeles Times
Though he claims to be a seeker, someone who "has to find out" why believers believe, Maher sets out not after answers but cheap laughs that preach, so to speak, to the converted.
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New York Times
Much of Mr. Maher's film is extremely funny in a similarly irreverent, offhanded way. Some true believers -- at least those who have a sense of humor about their faith -- may even be amused. But most will not.
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Variety (USA)
To the film's credit, Maher never engages in Michael Moore-style gotcha tactics, but rather asks questions that raise more questions, in the form of a Socratic dialogue. To believers expecting a blind hatchet job, this will prove both thought-provoking and a bit disarming; skeptics may be surprised (as Maher is) by the occasionally smart replies to his queries.
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