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Linda Fiorentino is Bethany. She works in an abortion clinic and goes to church every Sunday, even though she has lost her faith. Meanwhile, two angels, Bartleby and Loki (Ben Affleck and Matt Damon), who were sentenced out of Heaven, find a loophole that would get them back into Heaven. They see an ad that says that all sins are forgiven when they walk through an archway of a church. So, if they cut off their wings and become mortal, then they will be forgiven and go to Heaven.
However, this would lead to the end of the world. Since God is infallible, this would prove God wrong, so the world would end. The Metatron (Alan Rickman), who is the Voice of God, comes to tell Bethany that she is the one who has to stop Bartleby and Loki for reasons she finds out later. Along the way, she meets two prophets Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith), the 13th Apostle Rufus (Chris Rock), and another Muse, Serendipity (Salma Hayek), to help her on the quest.
Whenever I see a movie and go to write my review, I can always tell if it is going to be a good review or not, and this isn’t one. I saw it in pieces, though, so that may be a reason. While Jay and Silent Bob had very raunchy and crude humor, Dogma seemed to stay pretty non-gross-out, with the only exception being the Noman, or, as put by Serendipity, a “sh*t demon”. You can guess what he looks like.
All of the actors did their best acting job I’ve seen them in. Rock didn’t seem to go for humor as much in this one, but I didn’t find myself laughing too much at this one. He can be a good actor when not making fun of white people or being crude. Jason Lee, who plays another Muse banished to Hell, is great, also. I kept on wishing he were in more of the movie. Mewes was, well, Jay: foul-mouthed, sex-obsessed, and maybe a closeted gay. Fiorentino wasn’t all that great, but she wasn’t in Men in Black also. Affleck isn’t a great actor overall, and it shows here. Damon was very good, because he IS a good actor, and so are Rickman and Hayek.
Although it isn’t plastered with cameos, it does feature a few. George Carlin is a Cardinal, Jeff Anderson and Brian O’Holleran (from Clerks) are featured in a few roles, and Alanis Morisette is God (when do you think you’d ever hear that?). Basically, if you’re a big fan of other Smith movies, go for it. If you’re just a casual fan or not one at all, go with another one.
Rated R for strong language including sex-related dialogue, violence, crude humor and some drug content.
Review Date: April 21, 2003