The Brand New Testament

Name: The Brand New Testament
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy
Released: December 9, 2016
Duration: 114 min
Rating: 70

2016

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Generally favorable reviews based on 17 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Ratings

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7.2

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7.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Music Box Films | Release Date: December 9, 2016 | Not Rated

Summary: God exists, and He’s a jerk. He lives in a high-rise apartment in Brussels and never gets out of His pajamas. He takes sadistic delight in dreaming up new “laws” to torment humanity, and He’s a petty tyrant to his wife and ten year-old daughter, Ea. Like her brother before her, Ea has had enough of her Father’s abuse and when she spies theGod exists, and He’s a jerk. He lives in a high-rise apartment in Brussels and never gets out of His pajamas. He takes sadistic delight in dreaming up new “laws” to torment humanity, and He’s a petty tyrant to his wife and ten year-old daughter, Ea. Like her brother before her, Ea has had enough of her Father’s abuse and when she spies the right opportunity, she hacks into His computer and leaks to the entire world—by text message—the only thing He has over them: their inevitable death date. Ea, after escaping and with her Father in pursuit, gathers apostles and writes her own New Testament to try to fix the mess her Father has made of humanity. Her six apostles —a one-armed woman, a sex maniac, a killer, a woman who has been left by her husband, an office worker, and a gender dysphoric child—learn to celebrate life and love, and provide us with Jaco Van Dormael’s dark, witty and eccentric answer to the loaded question: what would you do if you knew exactly how much time you had left to live? [Music Box Films]… Expand

Director: Jaco Van Dormael

Genre(s): Fantasy, Comedy

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 114 min

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Critic Reviews

Deborah Young

Dec 10, 2015

It is irresistibly laugh-out-loud and feel-good. Read full review

The Film Stage Raffi Asdourian

Dec 4, 2016

What we have is ultimately a welcome satire for the modern age that’s no less funny than it is intelligent. Read full review

The Guardian Jordan Hoffman

Dec 10, 2015

The Brand New Testament is a peppy, original and (importantly) very sweet story. Read full review

Kevin Harley

Mar 30, 2017

Even the devout, surely, will warm to Dormael's alt-gospel: one of compassion, oddball fish gags and cheerier skylines. Read full review

Walter Addiego

Dec 15, 2016

This comic film from Belgium, in which God is shown as a cantankerous slob, is more mischievous than malevolent, likely to offend only the humor-impaired. Read full review

Ben Nicholson

Dec 4, 2016

Striking a balance between the dark and combative religious humour and its more saccharine elements proves difficult. Read full review

Diego Semerene

Dec 6, 2016

At first, the film’s dark humor is amusing, only for it to wear off once an actual plot kicks into motion. Read full review

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User Reviews

annbd

Feb 11, 2018

Another great movie presented by Jaco Van Dormael. You won't make a mistake by choosing this movie. Amazing idea, that's directed impressively. Definitely the movie reminds me of the Mark Twain's book "Letters from the Earth " , both amazing by the way!!Another great movie presented by Jaco Van Dormael. You won't make a mistake by choosing this movie. Amazing idea, that's directed impressively. Definitely the movie reminds me of the Mark Twain's book "Letters from the Earth " , both amazing by the way!! Back to the topic AND THE SPOILERS. The Brand New Testament starts confusing - that miserable-looking dude appears to be a God and me, asking why him? Why God is a miserable jerk, drunk and all in all a nasty **** I quess it could have been explained just a little bit. Then this jerk is writing laws: Law no. 2128 'When you immerse a body in a bath the telephone rings', law no. 2129 'The other line always moves faster' - these unwritten and annoying real earth phenomena were put on point and were definitely original. Also it broke my heart, when the mother understood that her disabled child is meant to leave longer and because there where nobody to take care for him, she tried to kill him. That was a hard scene to watch. So overall, The Brand New Testament - movie that shows the film industry which is the right way for things to go. And if you are a fan of good-directed movies with meaningful idea, decent cast members performances and.. irony, you will appreciate this movie.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Brent_Marchant

Dec 22, 2016

An earnest and ambitious attempt at making a profoundly satirical statement about religion and its male-dominated orientation, with a need for the intervention of the divine feminine to set things right. While many of the bits work well, others fall flat. What's more, the director has soAn earnest and ambitious attempt at making a profoundly satirical statement about religion and its male-dominated orientation, with a need for the intervention of the divine feminine to set things right. While many of the bits work well, others fall flat. What's more, the director has so much to say that he has trouble coalescing all of it into a cohesive whole, both in its narrative and its philosophical/spiritual outlook. Some parts of this release come across as a little too obvious, while others could use further development and continuity. Nevertheless, the film manages to redeem some of these shortcomings with ample humor, fine performances, imaginative imagery and beautiful cinematography. As it stands, this offering seems like a promising first cut that, with some additional editing and tidying up, could have become a thought-provoking showstopper. Unfortunately, it gets caught up in fits and starts that prevent it from reaching its full potential.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LeZee

May 16, 2017

Re-editing the god's creation.

I was looking forward for this since it was from one of my favourite directors who is a very unique storyteller. This is a fantasy and a black comedy from Belgium that was chosen to represent the country in the last Oscars. This is where the critics overtakeRe-editing the god's creation.

I was looking forward for this since it was from one of my favourite directors who is a very unique storyteller. This is a fantasy and a black comedy from Belgium that was chosen to represent the country in the last Oscars. This is where the critics overtake the film fanatic to like it more. It is a theme that revolves on what would you do if you get a power to write the laws of the nature. A complicated topic, because loopholes are inevitable, but the writer and director did not care much about that and narrated the tale what they just wanted to tell.

The story centres on an arrogant and abusive father who is also the creator the universe, especially the designer of the lives on the earth and this tale takes place in the Belgian capital, Brussels. When his bored and concerned daughter Ea, runs away from home to re-edit his creation as advised by her brother JC, he goes after her to ensure everything stay as he had planned. In an unexpected confrontation between father and daughter, in the end who is going to be victorious is the rest of the narration. Remember, there is a post credit scene, which opens the door for a possible sequel, but I don't think that'll happen.

"Giving men knowledge of their own death... Crazy!"

It was a beautiful concept, but I don't think I liked the entire narration, though some of the parts were very interesting. Since it was a fantasy, logics are not required, but the lack of the basic explanation was the setback if you're a broad minded. This film is for the simple minds, especially after knowing the theme you should not anticipate a genuine tale with great adventure and stunts, particularly not visual extravaganza. It was kind of a drama-adventure, something like entering the world that created by you and experiencing all by yourself the positives and negatives of it.

Somewhat it was a fun, so definitely not a bad film, but I felt it should have been a lot more than that. Kind of a missed opportunity and falls into a simplicity. All the actors were good, especially the little girl. But I think it's not suitable for the children on the ground of a film character who is associated with sex related stuff, hence it got a few brief nudes.

The God character was awesome, even though his acts are predictable I enjoyed the comedies delivered by him. The Ea's undertaking was more a serious and which tries to relate with the Chritianity, especially 'The Last Supper' after her decision to help a few selected people down in the earth over billions. All the above it was barely a magical film, so that's where you've to compromise than to expect crazy stuffs out of it. So in my opinion, it was not delightful as it looks nor the best work of this talented director, but a decent 2 hour long film.

6/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

GreatMartin

Dec 9, 2016

In "The Brand New Testament" God lives in Brussels in an apartment with his wife and daughter with his son JC taking off many years/centuries before and has a huge room filled with files of all his creations, also with important information on his computer. He is bored with the humans he hasIn "The Brand New Testament" God lives in Brussels in an apartment with his wife and daughter with his son JC taking off many years/centuries before and has a huge room filled with files of all his creations, also with important information on his computer. He is bored with the humans he has created so he sits around all day making new rules like "The other line will always move faster than the one you are in" or "as soon as you get in the tub the phone will ring" while also setting up disasters for them.

Ea, (Pili Groyne), His daughter 10 years old rebels, sneaks into the office, breaks into the computer files and lets everyone know when they are going to die, some within minutes and others up to 90 years later, causing havoc such as one young man being told he will live for 61 years goes jumping off sky high buildings, airplanes, etc.

"The Brand New Testament" is being sold as a comedy, a satire, a farce and, in some cases, just silly.

Ea has to find 6 more Apostles to make a total of 18--why that number may constitute a 'spoiler' so I'll let you figure that out--to solve the world's problems.

One by one we, and Ea, meet the apostles; Aurelie (Laura Verlinden) who has a prosthetic arm, Jean-Claude (Didier De Neck) who quits his job to follow a flock of birds, Marc (Serge Lariviere) a sex maniac killer, Francois (Francois Damiens), Martine (Catherine Deneuve) who falls in love with a gorilla and a boy Willie (Romain Gelin) who wants to be a girl before he dies.

There is no faulting the cast from all those mentioned in addition to David Murgia who plays JC when he isn't a statue on a shelf in his parent's home, Yolande Moreau as God's sort of spaced out wife and God himself played by Benoit Poelvoorde as a really loud, slovenly dressed bore and jerk. Ten year old Ea played by Pili Groyne holds her own with God and the rest of the cast.

Bottom line for me is that "The Brand New Testament" will be in my top 5 most boring films but in all fairness Philippe liked it (The film is in French and he is French so maybe ???), Allen thought it was good (but only laughed once!) while I only heard one person in the audience laugh from beginning to end whil the rest of us were silent.

Let me leave you with what the director/screenwriter Jaco Van Dormael sees as a funny line in one of God's new laws: "When a piece of bread with jelly falls on the floor it will always land on the jelly side." If you like that, find it funny, then you may like this film. I liked the line but didn't find it, or any of His new laws, funny.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

drone41

Feb 9, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Too much hippie and too much of everything. It has some funny moments, but it all gone after women who falls in love with gorilla.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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