29-year-old writer/director Kevin Smith – who made the wonderful Clerks and Chasing Amy and the slightly less wonderful Mallrats – here tackles the subject of religion with a wickedly humorous touch that unsurprisingly offended some Catholic groups when the film was released in the US.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck star as Loki and Bartleby – two fallen angels who discover there’s a loophole in church dogma that will allow them back into heaven.
The pair have been living in Wisconsin for nearly 2,000 years, so life has been dull – until they start shooting sinners they catch in acts of commandment-breaking.
When God realises the Earth will cease to exist if the duo are successful, less-than-happy angel Metatron (Alan Rickman) is dispatched to thwart their scheme.
In the company of abortion clinic counsellor Bethany (Linda Fiorentino) – who may be a descendant of Jesus Christ – and a smartass named Rufus (Chris Rock), unheralded as the 13th apostle because he’s black, the angels head to a New Jersey church for an audience with God, who’s played, as a mute, by Alanis Morissette.
While the film doesn’t work on every level, Smith has once again delivered a unique script and there are some terrifically funny performances.
One of the most original films of the decade, Dogma is not to be missed.
Bartleby
Ben Affleck Loki
Matt Damon Metatron
Alan Rickman Bethany
Linda Fiorentino Rufus
Chris Rock Cardinal Glick
George Carlin Serendipity
Salma Hayek Azrael
Jason Lee Jay
Jason Mewes Silent Bob
Kevin Smith God
Alanis Morissette John Doe Jersey
Bud Cort Grant Hicks
Brian O’Halloran Clinic girl
Janeane Garofalo
Director
Kevin Smith
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