The Rapture (1991)

Director:

Michael Tolkin

Writer (WGA):

Michael Tolkin (written by)

Release Date:

4 October 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

Rapture (rap'chur) 1. ecstatic joy or delight. 2. a state of extreme sexual ecstasy. 3. the feeling of being transported to another sphere of existence. 4. the experience of being spirited away to Heaven just before the Apocalypse.

Plot:

This is the story of a young woman (who lives in Los Angeles) with a very boring job. At night however...

Plot Keywords:

Airport Bar | Furniture Store | Assumption | Brushing Teeth | Employee Massacre

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Mimi Rogers	...	Sharon
Darwyn Carson	...	Maggie
Patrick Bauchau	...	Vic
Marvin Elkins	...	Bartender
David Duchovny	...	Randy
Stephanie Menuez	...	Diana
Sam Vlahos	...	Wayne
Rustam Branaman	...	Conrad
Scott Burkholder	...	Evangelist
Vince Grant	...	2nd Evangelist
Carole Davis	...	Angie
Patrick Dollaghan	...	Executive
James LeGros	...	Tommy
Dick Anthony Williams	...	Henry
DeVaughn Nixon	...	First Boy

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:18 | Canada:R (Ontario) | Germany:16 | South Korea:18 | Iceland:12 | Argentina:18 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-16 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Quotes:

Sharon: There has to be something more.
Randy: Why?
Sharon: I'm tired of all the pain in my life. I'm tired of feeling empty all the time.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: David Duchovny/Rod Stewart (#20.20)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

DIRECTLY FROM MY HEART TO YOU

A very important film, tense and extremely original

Before my praises for The Rapture, first a scolding at New Line Cinema. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME on you for marketing the home video of this very important film as if it were a soft-core sex romp. The original artwork for the film captured its essence very well (the soundtrack on CD has the original artwork), but the VHS video box cover on the front shows Mimi Rogers looking like she had the biggest...well, you know...sexual thrill of her life. The back cover shows a shirtless David Duchovny (but with a look on his face like a deer caught in the headlights). The cover says "exploring a woman's sexual and spiritual awakening." Excuse me, but Mimi Rogers' character seems to already be well educated in sex by revealing that she likes to swing with friend Patrick Bauchau. Sure, there is some sex in the first part of the film, but the story as a whole is 95% about the spiritual part. I'd love to yell at the person who got the job of marketing that cover and say how it really is an insult to people's intelligence in general. The Current DVD cover unfortunately makes it look like a religious family film...a big mistake. Should have kept the original artwork (again, see the soundtrack CD cover for that).

NOW, for the praise. The Rapture is one of those rare films that refuses to compromise and doesn't apologize if it offends one's religious beliefs. Mimi Rogers is a telephone operator with a very unremarkable life. Even her sexual experiences with her friend seem to be boring her. She eventually overhears co-workers talking about "The Boy" and she is intrigued by the secrecy surrounding him. She eventually gets involved with this religious group and as time passes, gets married, has a daughter, and continues her religious life. Then things get a bit....bizarre. It leads to a conclusion that may anger those who are devout and get a a lot of respect from those that feel there are many things we just shouldn't settle for in our existence.

I'm not an Academy Award nut, but the fact that Mimi Rogers was overlooked for a nomination is "sacrilege"...excuse me, but in reviewing something like this film some puns are inevitable! The one scene that most everyone I know refers to specifically is the one where Mimi confesses a crime to policeman Will Patton on the side of a road. Watching her emotional pain as she cries out how she can't love God anymore tears me up every time I see it, and it leaves you in a weakened state for the rest of the film. And the rest of the film will have you in a state of amazement right through to its fade. I was so impressed by the uncompromising conclusion and while some may feel that maybe Mimi didn't really win in the end, I feel she did. I too want to know why people think God solely has us here to worship, worship, worship -- at one point Mimi even asks co-workers "Isn't that a bit selfish?" While we don't get the answers we seek in this film, at least it challenges our minds and gets us talking. I can't recall any other film that has an effect to such an extent as The Rapture.

Whether you are very serious in your religious beliefs or are open to all sides of discussion, The Rapture will unnerve, exhilarate, and leave you truly touched in some way.