Jesus of Montreal (1989)

Overrated and overhyped

Awesome Movie

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

A young actor is commissioned to update an annual Montreal Passion Play (starring himself) but is a little too convincing in his role, drawing unfriendly criticism from the Catholic Church and finally suffering his own crucifixion (and state-of-the-art resurrection). Director Denys Arcand wants to demystify the Gospels (the performance of the Play itself might have been called 'Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Jesus But Were Afraid To Ask'), but his film works better as a media satire than as a modern-day theology lesson. Lothaire Bluteau's (rarely changing) hang-dog beatific calm makes the title character more of a martyr than Christ ever was (his death throes in the Montreal subway are interminable), although it's never clear if the mysterious actor simply identifies with his role or is in fact the actual Man from Galilee. But even at its most pretentious the film is engagingly playful; Arcand may be wearing his intellect on his sleeve, but his Messiah isn't too far removed from Jeffrey Hunter in 'King of Kings'.

After about ten years I finally could watch this movie again. I was just around 13 the first time I did and even though I could not remember all the scenes and many details, the essence of the movie stayed. It is not just intelligent, it is beautiful... the photography is excellent... the music is magnificent. But the most important and awesome thing is the argument. What if Jesus would have been born again and everybody is too busy with commerce, fame and banality to notice it? Then you start to think not just in Jesus, but in all the people that lives in the planet and we don't give them the chance to enter in our lives. A perfect example of that are the two TV producers (that might be a metaphor of the followers of Cesar 2000 years ago). And about metaphors there are many others and that's what makes the movie so unique: The beautiful actress is Mary Magdalene, the actors are the prophets, and finally (there might be a big spoiler here): The Lawyer. Maybe the scene that impressed me the most is after the trial, in which Daniel gets free without any problem, when he is talking to the man that wanted to be his defense (that Daniel refused), in a very tall building (that remembers to me the biblical story in which Jesus is on the top of the mountain with Satan, being tempted), when he says "you could have this city if you want"... It's really moving. And like that one I could mention lots more. Even in the very end, when Daniel dies, and her friends give his healthy organs to other persons and you can see them: they will live longer: the resurrection. I'm not religious at all, but the way they handle the movie and the story is really heart moving. By the other way we have a preacher that has been with a lot of prostitutes, such as they say Mary was, we find a Daniel that besides his friends, is completely alone in the world, we have a girl that (even though is not exactly prostitution) has to sell her body to live, and many other things that are not that nice. So it is not just a white, nice movie, it is very ambiguous. Besides its beautifulness it has a dark (very real) side. It is awesome.

You do not need to be Catholic or, much less, Quebecois to understand and appreciate this work of art.Jesus of Montreal is an act of sublime spiritual discovery and should be required viewing of all who call themselves Christian. In this film, we see how the Spirit of Christ is born and grows in one man (Lothaire Bluteau), and how the evildoers around him react.We see the evil pharisees who judge and condemn Lothaire (Jesus). These are the people like the American President bush who proclaim loudly to one and all how "holy" and "Christian" they are, all the while killing babies with his bombs and bullets and sanctions.Go see this film with an open mind, and you will see and hear the real message of Jesus Christ!

Truly a great film. I initially saw this in Montreal while living there a few years ago and have have been hooked on it since. This film portrays a wonderful parallel in the lives and situations of the characters in the film with the lives of Jesus and his followers. Right down to the dramatic end. Clear Representions made are Jesus, Mary Magdalen, and of course the Pharisees. Its certainly a thought provoking film just as the story of the crucifixion is thought provoking on both a personal level and in looking at the world outside. And to tease my fried who commented previously on this film. It is truly Quebecois, not Canadian. :)