It's been awhile since I've seen a so-called "Mormon-genre" movie that's impressed me. So it was a pleasure to sit through "The Best Two Years" and find it thoroughly enjoyable.
This is, what, the fourth year of LDS-themed movies? And out of a dozen over that time, maybe three or four are worth watching again.
Richard Dutcher's "God's Army" in 2000 was so successful and such a pleasant surprise that it was bound to open the floodgates, and following Dutcher's second film, "Brigham City," we began to see LDS movies in earnest, opening in Salt Lake theaters one after another.
Some have gone on to play in other areas of the country, some have fallen into the home-video chasm (where movies either make up their theatrical losses or drift amid the ridiculous array of movies that line rental-store shelves), and others have just faded away. And most have not been very — if at all — profitable.
In terms of quality, the bag has been even more mixed.
I know there are some LDS moviegoers who feel that any and every "Mormon movie" should be supported, whether it's good, bad or ugly. But it's my feeling that if you're going to spend $7 or $8 per ticket (plus concession expenses and — if you go to the Gateway Megaplex 12 — parking), the picture had better be at least as good as the one in the next auditorium.
Of course, these days, that's not saying a whole lot.
It wasn't too long after "God's Army" that we got "Brigham City," "The Other Side of Heaven," "The Singles Ward," "Charly," "Handcart," "The R.M.," "The Work and the Story," "Day of Defense," "The Book of Mormon Movie, Vol. 1: The Journey," "Pride & Prejudice," and, currently, "The Home Teachers." (I have deliberately left off this list the film "Out of Step," which strikes me more as a movie that simply has Mormon characters, rather than a Mormon-centric film. I would put the upcoming "Saints and Soldiers" in the same category.)
This is strictly my opinion, of course, but after the first three films, there began a downhill slide in terms of quality, and until "The Best Two Years," none has managed to reach the level that started it all.
In a way, we've come full circle. Like "God's Army, "The Best Two Years" is about young LDS missionaries "in the field."
"The Best Two Years" is based on a play that circulated throughout the region some 15 years ago, and the film has been written and directed by the playwright Scott S. Anderson.
One of the more surprising things here is that Anderson shows a maturity in his directing choices that is seldom in evidence with first-time filmmakers. The film is also given an enormous boost by Gordon Lonsdale's excellent cinematography, which shines best in the outdoor scenes in Holland, where the film was shot for two weeks before moving to Alpine, Utah, for interiors.
But none of that would matter if the story and characters were not on point, and, fortunately, they are.
The focus is on four young missionaries living in a rundown apartment and not having a lot of luck as they proselyte to the unmoving Dutch populace.
It's one of those areas where one baptism during a two-year mission is a huge accomplishment. And no baptisms is the norm. In fact, the only person these characters make any progress with is the lone American they meet.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this film is that the missionaries are very much young twentysomethings. There's a believable level of immaturity to each of them as they interact with each other, and when we see them grow and change over the course of the film, it's subtle and seems real.
The performers in this ensemble comedy-drama are all quite good — KC Clyde is excellent as Elder Rogers, who is still recovering from a devastating "Dear John" situation; Kirby Heyborne is a hoot as the newest of the four, Elder Calhoun, a naive rube who revitalizes the others; David Nibley is good as Elder Johnson, the leader the group, who has a few things to learn himself; and so is Cameron Hopkin, as ambitious, anxious Elder Van Pelt.
The real surprise, however, may be Scott Christopher, who has always struck me as a low-rent Jim Carrey wannabe, as demonstrated by his obnoxious performances in "The Singles Ward" and "The R.M." But here, Christopher tones it down and is both amusing and endearing. It's amazing what a strong director can squeeze out of a willing actor.
And that leads me to the biggest surprise of all. "The Best Two Years" is being released by HaleStorm, which has also given us "The Singles Ward," "The R.M." and "The Home Teachers." And next . . . I kid you not . . . "Church Ball."
The difference here is that "The Best Two Years" was not made by HaleStorm. It is an independent production picked up for distribution.
Here's hoping the HaleStorm folks take a good, long, hard look at this film and learned something from it about story and character.
"The Best Two Years" earns its laughs, and none of them are cheap.
E-mail: hicks@desnews.com