An American Messiah (The Proper Care & Feeding of)

Excellent satire that's fun for everyone
I first saw this mockumentary at a film festival, and I was happy to buy a copy as soon as it became available here. It's one of the few films that I've seen at festivals that's actually worth spending money in order to own a copy of. While the acting and technical work are perfect for the genre, this film is really made brilliant by the writing. The basic idea is very original, and it lends itself to scenes which poke fun of people and institutions which set themselves up as "gods." Although the character of Brian is caustic at times, the spirit of the humor remains gentle. Although this is clearly religious satire, don't expect something that bashes religion or God. It's the kind of satire that can be enjoyed regardless of whether you're coming at it from a religious or non-religious perspective. You hear a lot about "indie gems" that come from film festivals instead of major studios. This is one of the very rare movies that lives up to that phrase. It's easily worth owning a copy...

Hilarious Mocumentary
This is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen; generally I don't like comedies but this one was just really great. It's about a not-too-bright guy named Brian who thinks he's a messiah. Not the Messiah, but a messiah, who is to help the people who live within a 100-mile radius of him. He feels that the biggest problem besetting humankind is indigestive problems and the solution is "Aunt Acid" pills. His special powers, proving he is supernatural, include things such as growing facial hair at an extremely slow rate so that he only needs to shave every four days. And the miracles he performs include "The Miracle of the Fruit" in which, when his brother tosses plums to him from a distance of 10 yards, he can catch them in his teeth--that is about one out of thirty. The main plot of the film involves an attempt to raise money to rent a hall at the local civic center where Brian intends to proclaim to the world--or at least the local area he is responsible for--that he is their...



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