Dogma (1999)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Kevin Smith

Writer (WGA):

Kevin Smith (written by)

Release Date:

12 November 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy | Mystery

Tagline:

Get 'touched' by an angel.

Plot:

An abortion clinic worker with a special heritage is called upon to save the existence of humanity from being negated by two renegade angels trying to exploit a loophole and re-enter Heaven.

Plot Keywords:

God | Angel | Abortion Clinic | Clinic | Abortion

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Bud Cort	...	John Doe Jersey
Barret Hackney	...	Stygian Triplet (as Barrett Hackney)
Jared Pfennigwerth	...	Stygian Triplet
Kitao Sakurai	...	Stygian Triplet
George Carlin	...	Cardinal Glick
Brian O'Halloran	...	Reporter (as Brian Christopher O'Halloran)
Betty Aberlin	...	Nun
Matt Damon	...	Loki
Ben Affleck	...	Bartleby
Dan Etheridge	...	Priest @ St. Stephen's
Linda Fiorentino	...	Bethany
Derek Milosavljevic	...	Kissing Couple
Lesley Braden	...	Kissing Couple
Marie Elena O'Brien	...	Clinic Girl (scenes deleted) (as MarieElena O'Brien)
Janeane Garofalo	...	Liz

Also Known As:

Bearclaw (USA) (fake working title)
God (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language including sex-related dialogue, violence, crude humor and some drug content.

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | Argentina:16 | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:(Banned) | USA:TV-14 (tv rating) | Philippines:R-18 | Brazil:18 | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 (nf) | Hong Kong:IIB | Israel:16 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Norway:15 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

600 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

View Askew Productions

Trivia:

Among the numerous (reportedly eight) drafts of the script written, the controversy and protests of the film were based on the third draft which was transcribed and placed on the internet by an unknown source.

Goofs:

Plot holes: Loki and Bartleby are banished from Heaven forever. By finding a loophole and getting back into Heaven, they'd "unmake reality" because they proved God wrong, thus the entire storyline of the movie. They were also banished to Wisconsin "for the entire span of human history" - except they actually make it to New Jersey without making it through the arches. By making it to NJ, this should have also qualified as proving God wrong and thus undoing existence.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Announcer: Ladies and Gentlemen, the driving force behind Catholicism WOW, Cardinal Glick.
Cardinal Glick: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Now we all know how the majority and the media in this country view the Catholic church. They think of us as a passe, archaic institution. People find the Bible obtuse... even hokey. Now in an effort to disprove all that the church has appointed this year as a time of renewal...

Movie Connections:

References "Davey and Goliath" (1960)

Soundtrack:

Skokiaan

One of the Ten Best of 1999

This movie is one of the funniest movies of all time. Kevin Smith puts together a movie that defines 'satire' almost perfectly. The only flaw that this movie has are how long it is. Even though the movie is almost two and half hours, it delivers enough philosophy to keep people thinking long after watching it. "Was Jesus Christ black?" and "Is there someone out in the world that is a direct descendent of Mary and Joseph?" are very thought provoking.

The satire elements in this movie are well done. I thought the edition of George Carlin as the self-centered Cardinal Glick was an especially nice touch. I am a George Carlin fan and I have heard his routines about taxing the properties of the Catholic Church. I think the issues with race and women in the Bible were dealt with in a fine way as well. The dialogue was smart and witty and the cast did particularly well. Jay and Silent Bob took the movie with their wise-cracking, foul-mouthed wit and humor. I am also a huge Kevin Smith fan and he incorporated elements from all of his other movies.

This is the best Kevin Smith movie since Clerks. 10 out of 10.