My rating: Definitely worth seeing... with an open mind.

"Saved!" is a movie with an agenda. Know that up front. It's quite obvious that writer/ director Brian Dannelly and producer Michael Stipe are out to make a statement, and that statement gets made over and over. What is that statement, you will ask? From my perspective, I think it's "Loosen up. Get real. Practice what you preach." The odd thing is, the people they're making that statement to are the ones most likely to get really offended by their medium. Not only offended, but refusing to listen to the message that's there because it's set up in ridicule... even to the point that some Christians originally associated with the picture dropped out.

This movie is quite obviously aimed at over-righteous Christians who take up their mantle and heave bibles (at times, quite literally) at those they consider "lost" or "heathen." Speaking as an evangelical who's a youth pastor as well, I appreciated that part of the message. It's one I needed to be refreshed on. Not judging others, loving people in spite of their flaws, and being able to admit that we are ourselves flawed... those are messages that I preach to my youth. It's important to remember that Christianity is based in love, and breaks down when that's not what it is about. For these reminders shouted so loudly by this film, I was grateful. I have to wonder, though, if they should have considered giving a little more equal time to some Christian-types who aren't... psychotic.

The story of the film happens in a Christian High School around the life of Mary, (played by Jena Malone) whose boyfriend decides he's gay, and her decision to try to "save" him from his "gayness" by having sex with him. She ends up pregnant. She is ostracized by her group of friends, who follow the lead of Hilary Faye (Mandy Moore) in going even so far as trying to perform a rather comedic exorcism on her. In the meantime, she discovers a new group of friends in the only Jewish girl in her school (a real wild child, who claims to have been a stripper) and Hilary Faye's handicapped brother (played by Culkin). She finds acceptance with these two who, ironically, exhibit the best signs of genuine Christianity, despite both claiming that they are definitely not Christian. There's a skateboard missionary named Patrick who shows a lot of authenticity as well, a kid who's been to third world countries and chooses to be the boyfriend of the pregnant Mary in spite of the ridicule she gets from the other kids. In the end, she finds acceptance and finds out what real faith is, I think. She only finds it, though, if the face of a lot of serious questions and soul-searching. It takes a little unraveling of her life, and it definitely requires that she get away from the pre-packaged faith that she's been given all her life and find one that's her own. That's the inspiration of the story, and the points well-made by the director. I get that stuff. I need that kind of challenge. This message was for me, and it reached me.

The message had a few too many barbs in places, though. While I'll say that this was a welcome challenge to me as an evangelical, there were a lot of places where I got the feeling that the writer/ director had a bit too much angst toward "Jesus freaks." Particularly prominent was the portrayal of Christian schools and Christian rock bands. Also, it seemed that a lot of screen time was given to making evangelicals look like psychos, and not much hope was left that there are many that actually have a genuine love and Christlike concern for people. I know this film was a satire, I get that. In going overboard, though, with making Christian bands look like shallow boy bands and portraying Christian schools as centers of brainwashing, I fear the pill is embittered just a bit too much. A lot of conservatives have and would turn away, thinking the film was just out to make them look stupid. Also, speaking as a youth pastor, I would be afraid that this film might make Christian kids a little hesitant to share their faith or to be known as a passionate Christian. Even the characters I mentioned as exhibiting Christianity didn't do much of it... it seemed that the only reason they weren't freaks, according to the vision we're given, is because they weren't that into Christianity. It's almost as if becoming a Christian and really getting into makes you a lunatic.

This film went through several re-writes and edits so as not to overly offend its audience, but there was plenty of offense left in it. Like I said, some of that challenge, we need. It would be great to see "Saved 2" where we could see how the insights that the teens in this movie gained could benefit them. Perhaps, when the credits rolled, that's what I really felt. Maybe the story is just unfinished. At any rate, it's worth seeing for any evangelical who's interested in how non-Christians may view them. For non-Christians, I suppose it's just a comedy at the Christians' expense.