All the trimmings of the gospel are here.  We've got Jesus, who inexplicably appears in the world as an adult with no backstory.  Dustin Hoffman plays the Holy Ghost who councils the hero through an acceptance of death.  Emma Thompson is a God who suffers, knowing she must kill the most beautiful thing she has created.  And yes, it ends how you know the gospel ends.  I won't ruin it with details.

Why should this piss me off?  Because I cannot enjoy the film without hearing the voices of the JBU chapel squad condescendingly explicating the film and explaining how much Will Farrell forgives my sins.  But how pissy can I get, as even now I'm enjoying writing about the metaphor every bit as much as Stan M. et al. would enjoy it, and I probably have the same parochial satisfaction as they.  Well, at least I'm not trying to give you all a spiritual orgasm by singing Amazing Grace while lifting the blinds on the stained glass windows.

Shut up me.  Stop being cynical.

On the up side, the movie was a lot of fun.  There were logical holes big enough to drive the plot through, but the film wasn't trying to be logical.  It was trying to be pretty, witty, and thoughtful.  It succeeded, and I recommend it.

3 1/2 stars.