In watching Maher's HBO panel discussion show for the past few years, I already know Maher's stance on topics ranging on everything from the legalization of marijuana to the covert diet of high fructose corn syrup that covers the United States. Another topic he beats to a pulp is his stance on religion. Maher seems certain that it is the frayed fabric of religion that is the cause of nearly all of society's ills.
I guess after grumbling about religion for so long he finally took it upon himself to either expose religion for the fraud he believes it is or in getting someone, anyone to go toe to toe with him on why people believe in an all knowing and all mighty force in the universe.
Considering that Maher was a comedian before he was a political entertainer, I was expecting a tad bit more of the humor in religion. However, a lot of the humor derived in this film comes off as mean spirited, especially towards some of the inarticulate flock that were good enough to give him an audience. This sort of venom does not do him or his film any favors.
I feel that after however long it took Bill and his crew to get a lot of this footage for the film, it just wasn't long enough. The film feels incomplete, not whole.
The movie is not entirely humorless, it does have its moments, but all in all the movie doesn't end up any better off for gaining anything it didn't already understand or (not)believe in the first place. It doesn't go anywhere and most of the time it appears to be lost in search of meaning, not unlike people searching for meaning in life.
I guess after grumbling about religion for so long he finally took it upon himself to either expose religion for the fraud he believes it is or in getting someone, anyone to go toe to toe with him on why people believe in an all knowing and all mighty force in the universe.
Considering that Maher was a comedian before he was a political entertainer, I was expecting a tad bit more of the humor in religion. However, a lot of the humor derived in this film comes off as mean spirited, especially towards some of the inarticulate flock that were good enough to give him an audience. This sort of venom does not do him or his film any favors.
I feel that after however long it took Bill and his crew to get a lot of this footage for the film, it just wasn't long enough. The film feels incomplete, not whole.
The movie is not entirely humorless, it does have its moments, but all in all the movie doesn't end up any better off for gaining anything it didn't already understand or (not)believe in the first place. It doesn't go anywhere and most of the time it appears to be lost in search of meaning, not unlike people searching for meaning in life.