Saved!

D: Brian Dannelly; with Jena Malone, Mandy Moore, Macaulay Culkin, Eva Amurri, Chad Faust, Martin Donovan, and Mary-Louise Parker

Narrative Feature Special Screenings

Mary (Malone) is a devout girl who, along with her psychotically pious pal Hilary Faye (Moore), pickets Planned Parenthoods and rocks for Jesus in the Christian Jewels. The Lord’s plan seems to be running smoothly until her boyfriend Dean (Faust) lets her in on a little secret: He’s gay. Inspired by a visit from JC himself, the two get physical to cure Dean of his “faggotry.” Thing is, he’s still gay, she’s knocked up, and Mary’s world starts to fall apart. A first-time outsider, she’s befriended by rebel Jew Cassandra (Amurri) and Hilary’s wheelchair-bound brother Roland (Culkin). From here, the movie takes a sort of “a jew, a cripple, and a fornicator walk into a high school” turn as the three take on not only the bitches in the Jewels but also the Good Book itself. Producer Michael Stipe got it right when describing Saved! as “sweetly subversive,” though at times the sweetness gets stuck in your teeth.

This article appears in March 26 • 2004.

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