Dogma (1999)

An abortion clinic worker with a special heritage is called upon to save the existence of humanity from being negated by two renegade angels trying to exploit a loophole and re-enter Heaven.

Director:

Kevin Smith

Writer:

Kevin Smith

Stars:

Bud Cort, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck

6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bud Cort	...	John Doe Jersey
Barret Hackney	...	Stygian Triplet (as Barrett Hackney)
Jared Pfennigwerth	...	Stygian Triplet
Kitao Sakurai	...	Stygian Triplet
George Carlin	...	Cardinal Glick
Brian O'Halloran	...	Grant Hicks (as Brian Christopher O'Halloran)
Betty Aberlin	...	Nun
Matt Damon	...	Loki
Ben Affleck	...	Bartleby
Dan Etheridge	...	Priest at St. Stephen's
Linda Fiorentino	...	Bethany
Derek Milosavljevic	...	Kissing Couple
Lesley Braden	...	Kissing Couple
Marie Elena O'Brien	...	Clinic Girl (scenes deleted) (as MarieElena O'Brien)
Janeane Garofalo	...	Liz

Storyline

An abortion clinic worker with a special heritage is enlisted to prevent two angels from reentering Heaven and thus undoing the fabric of the universe. Along the way, she is aided by two prophets, Jay and Silent Bob. With the help of Rufus, the 13th Apostle, they must stop those who stand in their way and prevent the angels from entering Heaven.

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Plot Keywords:

angel | clinic | abortion clinic | abortion | church | 

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Taglines:

It Can Be Hell Getting Into Heaven

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language including sex-related dialogue, violence, crude humor and some drug content

Details

Official Sites:

Lions Gate Official Site (French)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 November 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

God

Filming Locations:

600 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£137,050 (UK) (24 December 1999)

Gross:

$30,651,422 (USA) (24 March 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

View Askew Productions, STK

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Due to the controversy of the film, Disney was having doubts about releasing the film, at which point Mirimax's Harvey Weinstein personally brought the project from Miramax and sent it to Lion's Gate Films.

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Goofs

The Catholic concept of a Plenary Indulgence is incorrectly described. When Bartleby describes the Plenary Indulgence offered upon passing through the doorway of the Cathedral during Cardinal Glick's rededication ceremony, he states that by passing through the doorway "all their sins will be forgiven." Additionally, Grant Hicks describes plenary indulgence as a "clean slate." However, an indulgence is not the forgiveness of sins, it is the removal of the need for temporal punishment for sins that have already been forgiven through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, i.e. confession and absolution by a priest. The indulgence allows the removal of the need for punishment through penance in the current life, or through Purgatory in the world to come.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Announcer: Ladies and Gentlemen, the driving force behind Catholicism WOW, Cardinal Glick.
Cardinal Glick: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Now we all know how the majority and the media in this country view the Catholic church. They think of us as a passe, archaic institution. People find the Bible obtuse... even hokey. Now in an effort to disprove all that the church has appointed this year as a time of renewal... both of faith and of style. For example, the crucifix. While it has been a time honored ...

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Crazy Credits

After the end credits, Jay's line "So... does that mean Bethany's... part black?" line is repeated.

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Connections

References Them! (1954)

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Soundtracks

"Mi Unico Camino"
Written by Rubén Méndez (as Ruben Mendez)
Performed by El Conjunto Bernal
Used by permission of Peer International Corporation (BMI)
Courtesy of Arhoolie Records

User Reviews

simply fabulous--kevin smith rocks!

While both funny and frightening, this film is more than just a comedy with gratuitous violence and (bad)-language. It's a theological reflection...and a call to the Church to focus on things that matter (like living life to the fullest, helping those in need, honoring and respecting all, expecting respect in return) rather than those that don't (like...well, dogma [doctrines/church laws] or any belief that causes us to "draw a line in the sand," condemning to hell or perdition any who disagree with us). As I watched it (the first and all subsequent times), I felt sure that the movie was written by someone who really loves his church -- but is smart and aware enough to recognize its shortcomings, its blindspots, even its failures and hypocrisies. Rather than simply leaving or ignoring or dismissing it, Smith chooses to enter into dialogue with it, using the potent medium of film to do so. One can only hope that the church--not just Roman Catholic but all branches of it-- takes him up on his call to conversation.

Not to be missed in the film, on a lighter note, are the introductory disclaimer and the "Thank Yous" at the end. Smith thanks Elaine Pagels, for God's sake -- who knew anyone in Hollywood read contemporary, feminist theology? What a welcome revelation....