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by Jim Holman.
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DOGMA
Written and directed by Kevin Smith. Starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Chris Rock, Linda Fiorentino. 1999, Color, English, 130 min. Available at Hollywood Video
Matthew: Smith seems to undermine his central point, which is that organized religion is a detriment to true faith. But the whole premise of the movie is that a Catholic [proclamation] has set up the loophole by which existence can be destroyed. What the Catholic Church declares -- a plenary indulgence -- reflects how things really are. Ernie: And it doesn't mean anything to say that ideas are better than beliefs because you can change them more easily.
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Matthew: I didn't mind the impiety as much as the bad thinking. It's the work of someone who's clever and has a passing familiarity with the Faith... latching onto something like a plenary indulgence. Ernie: If you're someone with layers of education, then you recognize the errors right away and chuckle at some of the jokes. But for someone with more of an interior piety about these things, and a reverence for them, I think this would be grossly offensive. Matthew: Especially to someone who is not able to say, 'This is Kevin Smith working out his tortured ruminations on the Faith on film,' but rather, 'This man is attacking what I hold dear.'
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Matthew: The film constantly lapses into preaching and exposition, with slapstick thrown in to distract you.