X
- 2015
- PG-13
- Lionsgate Films
- 1 h 30 m
- 2015
- PG-13
- Lionsgate Films
- 1 h 30 m
Summary Don Verdean is a man of faith who has devoted his life to biblical archaeology, scouring the globe in search of artifacts that back up the teachings of Jesus Christ. Now, traveling from town to town, he and his devoted assistant, Carol, spread the gospel by peddling books and DVDs out of his shabby RV, while his Holy Land contacts, Boaz ...
Directed By: Jared Hess
Written By: Jerusha Hess, Jared Hess
- 2015
- PG-13
- Lionsgate Films
- 1 h 30 m
- 2015
- PG-13
- Lionsgate Films
- 1 h 30 m
Don Verdean
39
6.3
Where to Watch
Summary Don Verdean is a man of faith who has devoted his life to biblical archaeology, scouring the globe in search of artifacts that back up the teachings of Jesus Christ. Now, traveling from town to town, he and his devoted assistant, Carol, spread the gospel by peddling books and DVDs out of his shabby RV, while his Holy Land contacts, Boaz ...
Directed By: Jared Hess
Written By: Jerusha Hess, Jared Hess
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 14 Critic Reviews
39
14% Positive
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
36% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
50% Negative
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 14 Critic Reviews
39
14% Positive
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
36% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
50% Negative
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
Its intentions are, to some degree, corrective: It mocks some of the popular corruptions of faith so as to invite the audience to reflect upon what real faith might be.
This is ninety minutes of comic actors having a genial go at middle-of-the-road material. It doesn’t have any guts, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t funny.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 12 User Ratings
6.3
58% Positive
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
25% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
17% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 12 User Ratings
6.3
58% Positive
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
25% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
17% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
I'm not sure what critics' beef with Hess is. What's wrong with goofy? Goofy is great! Nacho Libre is a thousand times better than most comedies! Gentlemen Broncos was ingenious and hilarious! And now Don Verdean, Hess' first foray into anti-hero territory, provides tons of laughs and pretty "wicked" satire. It starts goofy and progresses into darkly comic territory -- also new for Hess, though broached in Gentlemen Broncos. This is a great film with knock-out performances by all 6 leads (the actress who plays Danny McBride's wife is especially hilarious). I need to go watch this again.
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This film is getting slated up and down for no good reason. If you liked Napoleon Dynamite, you'll love it. The cast is pitch perfect. Could be my comedy of the year!
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There’s a sense that the goings-on are more quirky than comical.
The normally dependable Rockwell seems uncertain of what to do with Verdean.
If the film is any indication, Jared and Jerusha Hess remain committed to clotting up the screen with ostensibly charming "eccentricity."
Don Verdean is the sort of comedy which presumes its own hilarity long before it gets around to telling any actual jokes, or staging anything that might otherwise be considered funny.
Rockwell is charmless in a role that seems to be written that way.
A mediocre Hess film is still...quite enjoyable. I would say its probably his worst film (have not seen Nacho Libre). The acting is good and the premise is **** it has some of the silly humor of his films to make it very watchable, **** also is a bit more serious than other Hess films at times, there aren't as many jokes, and mainly, it was like the story was not as well written as his other films, particularly character and their backstories. Napolean Dynamite is such an interesting character, with so much detail and backstory that it makes the film really shine. Wheras in this film we know very very little about Don Verdean, or really any of the characters. Very shallow kindof characters that just serve their purpose so it would have been better if it was better written, as it seems to have been sortof hastily written and done compared to his other more enjoyable films. (Gentleman Broncos being my favorite..also much detail in that film..with a story within a story...) Bottom line if you like Jared Hess's other films you will probably at least somewhat enjoy this film, but its not his best work. I enjoyed it for the silly humor and story premise, but a lot was left unfulfilled.
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Don't let the movie snobs ruin this. IMHO, Don Verdean is a solid Jared Hess movie.
Jemaine Clement is great, Sam Rockwell gives probably his most transformative performance, and Danny McBride is Danny McBride, and who's better to play an evangelical minister paying lots of money for the recovery of holy relics. It's funny, yo.
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I thought the movie was quite boring. Maybe just wasn't my type of movie as many here are comparing it to Napoleon Dynamite type of movie and Napoleon wasn't one of my favorites either. There were funny moments and I get the whole satire idea, but either way, you have to like that type of comedy to be into this movie, if you don't, then it will be quite boring for most of the time.
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Production Company
Buffalo Film Company (II)
Release Date Dec 11, 2015
Duration 1 h 30 m
Rating PG-13
Tagline Fraud works in mysterious ways.
