Uhhhh, why is this movie so underrated? This is up there as one of the coolest teen/coming of age movies. Seeing as this came out the same year as Mean Girls and there are several similarities between the two films, I can't help but wonder whether maybe it was overshadowed a bit. I really loved Macaulay Culkin's character in this and Cassandra! Also, I love how this movie emphasised that being different is okay (especially weaving that in with the topic of religion) whether it be sexuality, disability, single parenting.. This was such a pleasant flick & am I the only one who thinks movies from the early noughties have such charm, maybe it's just the nostalgia talking but I love seeing 90s technology and fashion.

Funny and touching! A different teen comedy.

I'm an atheist. Have been since I learned that NOT believing in God was an option. While admitting this to my parents didnt shock them, it did cause my father to ask me "why?" "Cuz what kind of cruel, evil idiot would allow me to live in a place where, every time it rains, I get nightmares & have flashbacks to the time I was swept away during a flash flood. And then, to make me go through it again, and again, and again - that every time it rains, I have a near panic attack, worried that, once again, this house we live in would again flood. Like it did in 1977. And 1979. And again in 1980, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85.... Cuz if that is the type of person who is suppose to love me, then I dont believe in him' (For the record, it was my father who forced our family to continue to live in a house that flood every times a year. It wouldnt be until 1989, when we almost died while taking shelter in the attic, while the flood waters rose, that he decided we needed to move). While I believe in the Christian values (compassion, aid, love, etc), I dont feel that I should believe in some magical sky wizard, who is angry with me if I watch porn, or eat pork, or wear clothing of two different threads, or mark my body with tattoos, or who hate those who believe in same sex love and marriage. But when the Christian thing is shoved in my face - it triggers me something fierce. (Case in point - I have a close friend who is VERY Christian. Like Super Dooper Christian. So, when she learned that I was an atheist, she had to tell me "You are the first atheist I've ever met. But Dont worry - God has told me that you will be saved and come back to the faith." As a favor, I once went to church with her. That meant getting up EARLY on a Sunday - not my thing to do - and driving 20 miles, to be at her church. She then walked me around, to EVERYONE there, and introduced me as "This is my dear friend _______. And he is an ATHEIST. But I talked him into coming to church with me today." She even threw in a Hallelujah when she introduced me to the head pastor / minister / reverend - whatever he was. I was "Soooooo.... when do they bring out the snakes?" That was the last time I went to church on purpose.) For me Faith and Believe is like assholes - everyone has one, but I dont want you to shove yours in my face and tell me how good it is. This being said, today is Easter 2024, and I figured I would finally sit down and watching this film. I was told it was to be a comedy. And it was - after a certain point. But getting there was ROUGH - I would say there is a major Trigger Warning before watching this film - just in case, like me, your skin crawls when all the talk of Jesus and faith and being born again. But once you get past that, it becomes an amusing film. Not "Dancing with Jesus on the Cross" funny like out of "Drop Dead Gorgeous", but it does have some moments . (I particularly like the "Jew girl" who has a relationship with Roland. BTW - giving the kid in the wheelchair a name like Roland - GENIUS!!!)

One of the amusing things that happened to me as I was reading the review for this movie is that some people can't see the forest from the trees. "This was obviously written by someone who has never set foot in a church". Um, no. This had to have been written by someone that had in fact stepped in the church as someone who hadn't drank the coolaid. If you are such a person, you know that there are a TON of Hilary Fayes out there. And if you read the news, you know there a TON of people that talk the talk and could not be bothered to walk the walk. In so much of the world today, it is more important to wear the Jesus badge. Besides all of that, there is a lot to like in this movie. While it certainly bashes religious belief in general an bigotry in particular, it spends more time focusing on inclusion and being a decent person. While I wholeheartedly agreed with all of the themes... it isn't necessarily a great watch. Even if you agree with the themes, these movies can be a bit heavy-handed at times. In that sense, it reminded me a bit of But I'm a Cheerleader. There are a few laughs, but.... follow me at https://IHATEBadMovies.com or facebook IHATEBadMovies

_Saved!_ is a smart and hilarious romantic comedy. The story follows a senior at a Christian high school who experiences a crisis of faith when she becomes pregnant and is ostracized by her former friends. Jena Malone, Mandy Moore, and Macaulay Culkin lead the cast, and their performances are quite good. Also, the writing is well-done, and offers some clever satire about how religion can be misused; though at times it’s a little heavy-handed it its politics. Still, overall _Saved!_ is a solid comedy with an irreverent sense of humor that’s entertaining and fun.