Mobsters and Mormons
Thanks to an all-encompassingly reader (a well connected contact in the LDS film industry), I was able to attend a screening of the upcoming film Mobsters and Mormons last night.
The short take: 3 stars, out of 4, for an LDS film. And a definite “thumbs-up.”
The long take: The plot develops around the relocation to Utah of a mobster turned informant. He, his son, and his wife each react differently as they take the deep plunge into the heart of “Mormondom.”
Mobsters and Mormons was done by the same folks who did Singles Ward and The RM, but I found this movie much, much funnier. There were several scenes that had the audience in sustained ouch-my-tummy-hurts laughter.
Mark DeCarlo, who plays the main character Carmine “The Beans” Pasquale, is hilarious in almost every scene in which he appears. And while Pasquale is somewhat of an overwraught caricature, his adjustment to Utah is humorous.
This film, however, does suffer from the downer which seems to plague all LDS films: it can’t keep a solid momentum going throughout the entire film. I think that a bit tighter editing and improved dialogue would have gone a long way.
In summary, you’re not going to get big budget gun fights or a truly exceptional screenplay, but Mobsters and Mormons is a clever comedy that is definitely worth the price of admission. It will have you smiling for the rest of the night and appreciative that LDS films are getting better.
2 Responses to “Mobsters and Mormons”
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Thank you for this review. I’m surprised you don’t have any comments as I posted a link over in the T&S sidebar. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing this if it comes to NYC at all.
I don’t know anyone special in the industry but I was able to see an early showing of “Skeleton Key” about a month before it came out. A friend of mine passed by someone who was handing out announcements and we went and stood in line and got our tickets. Seeing a film early adds a fun dimension to the experience.
Mobsters and Mormons did have some genuine laughs. And Mark DeCarlo did steal the show. The only downside was the pacing. And, in a Halestorm trademark sort of way, it had a emotionally touching element in it. I especially enjoyed Jan Felt’s performance of gossipy, self-righteous Louise. (The sad part is there are actually people like that in “Mormondom”.) It is definitely worth a matinee price.