The Singles 2nd Ward (2007)

Director:

Kurt Hale

Writers:

Kurt Hale (writer)
John E. Moyer (writer)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Number In Title

Cast

Michael Birkeland	...	Hyrum
Erin Chambers	...	Christine
Jimmy Chunga	...	Phat Cop
Mitch English	...	Mitch
Kirby Heyborne	...	Dallen Martin
Lincoln Hoppe	...	DeVerl
Adam Johnson	...	Movie 1st AD
Brad Johnson	...	Willard
Wally Joyner	...	Brother Angel
Matt Mattson	...	Movie Jonathan
Corinne Mayberry	...	Cecily
Carson McKay	...	Sky cap
John E. Moyer	...	Brother Daniels
Tim Rowberry	...	Zak's Actor
Robert Swenson	...	Zak
Will Swenson	...	Jonathan
Daryn Tufts	...	Eldon
Connie Young	...	Cammie

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

Halestorm Entertainment

Goofs:

Continuity: Zack's tattoo, on the left side of his neck and arm, disappears and reappears throughout the film; most notably at towards the end.

Quotes:

Christine: [referring to the audience] Wait, you know these people?
Jonathan: Know them? We go way back! I knew them before you did!

Movie Connections:

References Jumanji (1995)

The First One Was Better...

I still have fond memories of watching The Singles Ward five years ago and thinking it was fun to see an LDS comedy in the theater. Some of the jokes were pretty predictable, but overall the movie was fun to watch, especially the cameos from famous members of the church. It wasn't a masterpiece, but it was a decent, entertaining movie.

What the first movie had going for it were a solid story, off-the-wall humor that wasn't distracting, and fun and quirky side-characters three things that The Singles Second Ward avoids like the plague.

What is most frustrating about the second movie is that there really isn't a clear conflict until well into the movie. The opening scene seems to set the stage, but then the plot moves in a completely different direction and takes way too long to get going.

The jokes are at times too random or too self-referential and the gags go on for way too long (a scene in which one character stands in a parking lot shouting at another character's apartment window seems to go on for about ten minutes).

Lastly, even though the original cast members returned for the second outing, 90% of their characters are pushed aside and only appear sporadically, offering a few half-hearted lines and even fewer jokes.

If you're a big fan of the first movie, you'll probably enjoy seeing the characters on screen again, and you'll appreciate even the more obscure inside jokes. However, be aware that most everyone in the film just doesn't seem to give 100%. It's like when you meet up with a group of old friends and at first everyone is excited to see each other but no one wants to put forth any effort to do anything fun together, so you end up just sitting there.

If you just want to watch a funny LDS-themed movie, watch the first one.