Customer Reviews

The RM

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Before reviewing this film, I must put a disclaimer up front...I'm not LDS but spent 3 years at BYU, so I know the Mormon culture quite well, from the outsider's perspective. The flood of LDS films in the new century is a welcome relief and quite possibly is due to the conflicts I witnessed at BYU between their editing of Hollywood movies to the annoyance of the Hollywood industry, especially the battles with "Titanic" (when I was at BYU) and the controversial anti-Mormon film "Orgazmo"(which was one of the worst movies I've ever seen).

This film, "The RM" follows on the heels of "The Singles Ward" and while I thought the jokes were stretched thin in "The Singles Ward", I found the humor in this film more spread out and funnier overall. This film pokes fun at the expectations that RMs have upon returning from their mission, from a big Welcome Home celebration, to reuniting with one's girlfriend, getting one's job back, and a new respect from family, friends and fellow churchmembers. To the dismay of Jared Phelps (the returned Missionary), life seemed to have moved on for everyone else while he had been away for two years. His attempts to readjust to life outside the mission field offer plenty of laughs, though one would most likely have to be familiar with LDS Culture to understand and appreciate.

One thing I never understood about the LDS is that even though they believe in eternal marriage, why on earth would a person not want to wait until the mission is over to marry the "love of her life". The rush to marry an RM is all too real in Happy Valley. It all works out in the end for Jared Phelps, despite a mischievious best friend who gets him in trouble with the law (which seems more a contrivance than a realistic development in order to move the film along to a climatic conclusion).

For me, the funniest scenes in the movie regards the ponzi salesmanship scheme that people are involved in. At one company that Jared briefly works for, each time a person makes a sale, they have a hilarious cheer that is all too real for anyone familiar with some of the companies in Utah Valley and the promises of high salaries for successful salesman. It is interesting that Returned Missionaries easily adapt to this line of work, since peddling the Book of Mormon door to door gives them the experience of salesmanship and how to deal with rejection/door slams.

After seeing this film, I hope that Halestorm will continue to make films about the Mormon experience in modern society. Its nice to see a positive reflection of a people I've come to love represented in inexpensively made, yet high quality, good acting films. Hopefully they will spend more time working on quality stories with more plausible plots. The talent is definitely there and there are so many more stories worth telling.

I myself am LDS and didn't grow up in Utah, but live there now. I found this movie funny not only because I enjoy sarcastic humor, but because many of the stereotypes, I have found, are almost too close to reality, even if stretched a little. One thing I did notice is that even if you are LDS, but have never spent time in the Utah LDS culture, then many of the jokes wouldn't make sense or seem remotely humorous. This movie wasn't meant to be intellectually stimulating, just a light entertainment. I have been disappointed with movies that have come out since "The RM" like "Down and Derby" and "Home Teachers" which are awful, but I find myself returning again and again to "The RM" for some good laughs. However, if you're looking for an LDS film that has slightly more substance, I'd recommend "The Best Two Years" which is excellent.

Like "Singles Ward" this is another entertaining movie.It pokes fun again about us Mormons (in a good way).This is about Jared Phelps,returning from his mission only to find out that his life before mission as he knew it,changed.Everything that could go wrong,went wrong.But being a faithful member of the church,he went through it almost unscathed and with a stronger testimony.I know it sounds simple but there REALLY is more to it than that.There are many funny moments in the film (specially the part as Jared Phelps was being dumped by his girlfriend,her family is watching,and her brother is videotaping it at the same time).Im so glad that Halestorm keeps on coming up with good,lighthearted,wholesome,funny and inoffensive movies about Mormons.
So heres the "But..." part.I only have a problem when it comes to the ending.Its great that Jared became more mature spiritually but I cant help but think his problems werent really solved.No clear resolution.Oh well...

Like the previous reviewer, I also am not LDS. But I have good LDS friends & discovered upon watching this movie (which was loaned to me by a member of the church) that I've seen enough of the culture to appreciate the movie, which is--in places--laugh out loud funny.
I was locked down in barracks in Cuba during Hurricane Ivan when I watched this, and it greatly relieved a boring and stressful day. It's just escapist, entertaining, clean fun that finds humor without being disrespectful. It is consistently funny. The arrest is absurd & far-fetched but somewhow not jolting in context.
All of the characters are good. I particularly enjoyed the protagonist, his mother, the exchange student and the protagonist's best friend.
Nothing about this is intellectually challenging but it's thoroughly entertaining to anyone who has some exposure to LDS culture. It would not appeal to people who have no familiarity.

To appreciate all the humor in this movie, you either need to be familiar with LDS culture or watch it with someone who is. I was in this church for a while and still have friends in that church, so to me it was very funny. The writers of this movie didn't miss many stereotypes or realities of Mormon culture and still made them funny without being offensive. As a woman, the scenes of Relief Society competition among the women (although it would never be called that in the church) were especially funny, as were the juxtaposed scenes of the women's and men's meetings. The scenes of the cookies being delivered through the mail slot and the mother making an ice sculpture of the Salt Lake Temple with a chain saw had me doubled over, barely able to breathe, I was laughing so hard. Even with all the humor, there was an underlying message of perseverance and integrity throughout the movie so that anyone of any belief could understand and be touched by it. If you want to see a very funny, clean, family-friendly, well-acted movie, try this one. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Since I can relate to this movie in so many ways I enjoyed it thoroughly. The performances were spot on and the depicition of family life over the top as it was, just set me off laughing even more. Well done by all concerned.

I am a member of the church and must say I absolutely LOVE this movie. It's laugh out loud moments are derived from the all too often seen stereo-types, many of which tend to be true (I didn't find it offensive at all). It is uplifting, comical and has a clever soundtrack. :)

If you are an RM and you liked the Brat Pack movies of the 80's you may laugh qite a bit at this. If either of these don't apply to you ...You may want to pass on this. Think "16 Candles" type gags ( Murphy's law sqared) with the deluded deflated returned missionery for the protagonist.

I laughed quite a bit, my wife hated it, and she is the slap-stick comedy fan of the family. Funny moments, not nearly so much as "The Home Teachers" for way of comparison.

If you like movies where everything that can go wrong, does - and more, and if your LDS, you should enjoy this movie. I personally don't like all the overkill comedy, but I know many do. I did enjoy many of the "poke fun at LDS culture" moments such as the Relief Society lesson preparation, food storage, MLM oportunities, etc.

Would I watch it again? Sure as long as I had some popcorn to keep me company.

This is a hilarious, fun-filled movie that will entertain the entire family. The R.M. is refreshing because it's clean AND funny. The funniest scenes in my opinion are the Filthy Filter Lingo and the Book of Mormon Burger...but it's all great! This movie is second only to Mobsters and Mormons, and it is definitely a MUST WATCH!