Review of Don Verdean (2015) by Steve S — 30 Jan 2015

Jared and Jerusha Hess' latest tells the story of Don Verdean, a biblical archaeologist noted for such remarkable discoveries as the shears used to cut Samson's hair. When a local pastor offers to finance Verdean's expeditions, however, things get complicated (filthy luchre ruins everything), and things spiral out of control as Don starts finding ways to fill the demand even when there's no real supply.

The movie is comedy, but it's plotted like a thriller--albeit a really bizarre, screwball thriller (and Don definitely owes a lot to Indiana Jones, if not in his image, exactly, then definitely in his work). It's not the Hesses' funniest film, which isn't necessarily a bad thing--there are sporadic belly laughs and a number of chuckles throughout, but, for all the goofy costumes and accents, this is a movie about ideas, and deceptively sincere in its commitment to wrestling with questions about religion in the 21st century--specifically, where and to what degree (if at all) truth claims and historicity actually have (or should have) anything to do with religion. In that way, this is yet another incredibly Mormon movie from the Hesses, though, despite the Utah geography, Mormonism is never directly mentioned (but the movie is almost a comic riff on the Mark Hoffman story--and about as bonkers on screen as that sounds on paper). Not everything works, not every joke lands, not every idea is developed as completely as it could be, and, though he completely steals the movie, there's something undeniably weird about seeing Jemaine Clemant's prosthetic-nosed money-grubbing Israeli as the antagonist, and something a little uneasy about a movie where his accent winds up being the funniest gag.

Still, DON VERDEAN is a fascinating movie--not the Hesses' most consistent, maybe, but one of their most interesting for sure, both building on and departing from their previous work in compelling ways. I've yet to see GENTLEMAN BRONCOS, but between NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, NACHO LIBRE, and now DON VERDEAN, the Hesses seem more and more like the most Mormon of Mormon filmmakers, even when they're not actually making "Mormon movies.".