Kevin Smith’s Red State had an infamous, three ring circus-worthy world première at Sundance this past January, complete with Fred Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church—the nation’s hardest working in-real-life trolls and the inspiration for the violent extremist group in the film—picketing outside. As far as spectacles go, it wouldn’t be outdone by anything else in the year’s Park City offerings, even if many left in a huff when Smith auctioned the film off to himself after the credits rolled. But as far as religion-baiting went, Red State was just one of a crowd of films there to feature broad villainy in the name of fundamentalist or evangelical Christianity.
This year’s festivalgoers were also introduced to: Patrick Wilson as Joe, the oppressive born-again husband of Liv Tyler’s former addict Shana in The Ledge; Pierce Brosnan as Dan Day, the head of a megachurch who conspires to cover up an accidental murder he committed by pinning it on one of his followers in Salvation Boulevard; and Eddie Marsan as James, a man whose faith doesn’t keep him from beating, pissing on, or raping his wife Hannah (Olivia Colman) in Tyrannosaur. Compared to that lot, Red State’s Abin Cooper, the hate-filled, murderous pastor of the fictional Five Points Church played by Michael Parks, looks practically on the level. At least he’s open about his insane agenda.
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