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:

Gay Reference | Satirical | Bed | Unlikely Hero | False Name

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Ben Affleck	...	Bartleby
Matt Damon	...	Loki
Linda Fiorentino	...	Bethany Sloane
Jason Mewes	...	Jay
Chris Rock	...	Rufus
Alan Rickman	...	Metatron
Jason Lee	...	Azrael
Salma Hayek	...	Serendipity
Kevin Smith	...	Silent Bob
Janeane Garofalo	...	Liz
George Carlin	...	Cardinal Ignatius Glick
Alanis Morissette	...	God
Brian O'Halloran	...	Grant Hicks (as Brian Christopher O'Halloran)
Bud Cort	...	John Doe Jersey
Dan Etheridge	...	St. Stephen's Priest

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

Colour:

Colour

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 | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | 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:

Smith originally wrote an early draft of the film in the early-90s and planned on shooting it after Clerks. (1994), hence the inclusion of that movie's end credits: Jay and Silent Bob will return in Dogma (1999)'. However, he found himself unhappy with the early version of the script and decided instead to not pursue the project until he became a better filmmaker.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Reflection of camera and dolly operators visible in the "Wisconsin Winter Magic" poster on the airport (right after Bartleby and Loki passed the Cheesehead Country guy).

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 Con Air (1997)

Soundtrack:

Love Is Strange

Highly recommended for fans and future fans alike

Dogma is firmly rooted in Kevin Smith's View Askew world so fans of his other films will not be disappointed. However, it also expands on the direction he took in Chasing Amy by dealing with subject matter and concepts that are personal and thought provoking. Dogma goes beyond the "dick and fart jokes", which are reassuringly present, and gives the viewer something to think about.

The film deals with thoughts on religion, Catholicism mainly, in a way that pokes fun at the institution but does not deride it. Dogma is by no stretch of the imagination an anti-Catholic movie. It embraces religion and points out the potential and actual problems that can occur within any religious institution. The film's comments and contents are definitely meant to be taken with a grain of salt.

The cast is great and there are many instances of hilarious viewing, usually Jay and Silent Bob, as well as very sensitive and expressive moments from the various actors.

In the end, Dogma is a thoroughly fun and thoughtful viewing experience that both old and new fans will enjoy. A movie outside the typical fare that is worth spending your money on seeing.