Product Details

• Actors: Reverend Billy
• Directors: Rob VanAlkemade
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Arts Alliance America
• DVD Release Date: May 27, 2008
• Run Time: 91 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0013K2ZDQ
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,491 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  #26 in	Movies & TV > Documentary > Religion
  #42 in	Movies & TV > Documentary > Art & Artists
  #43 in	Movies & TV > Special Interests > Religion & Spirituality > Spirituality

Editorial Reviews

Review

Religion aside for a moment, there's a terrible addiction that has swept across this country, and it's one of the nation's best kept secrets. Mostly everyone will tell you that it's a really bad thing, but nobody can seem to stop doing it. And it doesn't come cheap, nearly sixty percent of us are in long term debt because of it. No, we're not talking booze, drugs or overeating. It's shopping. And over 15 million Americans may in fact be addicted to it.

Rob VanAlkemade's 'What Would Jesus Buy?' is a rousing, irreverent and simultaneously sobering documentary about the year round destructive shopaholic obsession that spins into an out of control buying and spending orgy by the time Christmas rolls around. The movie follows performance activist Reverend Billy and his ragtag cross country caravan, The Church of Stop Shopping Gospel Choir, to bring the voice of reason a few holiday seasons ago, to compulsive consumers everywhere.

The intent of this countdown to Christmas is to save the holiday from what Reverend Billy has dubbed only slightly in jest, the Shopocalypse. Ironically, many of his group are injured when one of their buses collides on a highway with a truck rushing to deliver Christmas merchandise to stores. Meanwhile, the Reverend muses, 'everyone in a car is driving to a television.

The What Would Jesus Buy? project is the brainchild of Morgan Spurlock, the same guy who in a less spiritual frame of mind, lost the junk food battle of the bulge against McDonald's with his Academy Award nominated high calorie investigative doc, Super Size Me, and is now hitting the plexes with Where In The World Is Osama Bin Laden. The concerns of What Would Jesus Buy are broader than digestion issues, as Reverend Billy and entourage put out a wakeup call to mall junkies everywhere, exorcising the demons from assorted cash registers and credit cards as he urges consumers to return to a more authentic relationship with Christmas.

Reverend Billy's approach to advocating healing social change, along with the thousands of followers in his congregation, is to infuse protest with humor, energizing his message with feelgood social activism. The businesses he holds up to a higher standard may not feel quite the same way, as the manic preacher formerly known as Bill Talen has been booted from countless stores and malls, and is the only bible thumper to have a permanent restraining order against him issued by Starbucks. With his clerical collar, white tuxedo, bleached blonde pompadour and portable pulpit and ambulatory confession booth in tow, Reverend Billy has ranted to whomever will give a listen, urging folks to get in touch with a more human, less materialistic way of life and consider the promise that a 'change-allelujah' shout-out can bring.

At once buoyant and a little sad, What Would Jesus Buy includes candid conversations with the shopping disorder afflicted who, seriously bitten by the overconsumption bug, just can't seem to help themselves. One teen confesses that if she doesn't constantly buy the latest clothing fashions, she's terrified of being ostracized and ridiculed by everyone at school. And a woman shows off her closet at home filled to the brim with colorful outfits - all for her pet chihuahua. On the other hand, life isn't necessarily a breeze living with a guy who's driven to get his message out there 24/7. Reverend Billy's wife, the straight man to her prankish spouse of the cloth, confesses, 'we fell in love before I knew what he was up to.'

Not all viewers may find Reverend Billy's intervention quite so divine in What Would Jesus Buy. But whatever his particular madness, there's an unmistakable method at work, inspiring real reflection when it comes to exactly what this consumerized holiday season is all about.

More information about What Would Jesus Buy? and Reverend Billy, i --NewsBlaze.com

Product Description

Through retail interventions, corporate exorcisms, and some good old-fashioned preaching, Reverend Billy reminds us that we have lost the true meaning of Christmas. What Would Jesus Buy? is a journey into the heart of America from exorcising the demons at the Wal-Mart headquarters to taking over the center stage at the Mall of America and then ultimately heading to the Promised Land ... Disneyland. Bonus Features: Deleted Scenes, Original Theatrical Trailer, Public Access Show featuring Reverend Billy and Morgan Spurlock

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brief Review of What Would Jesus Buy, February 27, 2008

By	Joshua D. Scott (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was able to see this film already and it is a hilarious yet serious take on overconsumption in America. Reverend Billy and his choir stop at shopping malls across the country from New York to California to sing songs and confront consumerism with a feel reminiscent to the Borat movie. It's a quasi-documentary and should be viewed by everyone in this country. There are only a few interviews with experts on consumerism but this movie is a good starting point for further research on consumerism. It is light enough to be enjoyed by children yet enlightening for adults as well. Hopefull the DVD will feature heavier bonus content that adds to the issue at hand. Scenes at the Mall of America, Disneyland, and carolling about consumption to wealthy families are not to be missed!! See it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars i'm seriously convicted, May 31, 2008

By	I. Quigley - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Last Fall, when this movie was in the theaters, I asked my 18-year-old daughter to join me, as a special favor. She went to please her mother, not because she really thought it would be good. After all, it had "Jesus" in the title, and my Sunday-school-raised child had long since decided that church and Jesus wasn't really for her. Well, she (and I) laughed heartily at this movie, many times, as it also seriously convicted us, challenged us to evaluate our spending. My daughter is now looking forward to sharing this film with friends. She wants to have friends over to the house to view it. It's been 6 months since we watched it, and thoughts of seeing it again brings forth laughter and reminders to be aware of our spending habits, our wants and our perceived "needs." This film touches on all ages -- children, teens and adults, challenging everyone to take a serious look at their motivations. Hooray for those that have the courage to point out how extreme our consumerism has gone.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Asks questions; lets you ponder them, June 18, 2008

By	Viva (So. Cal.) - See all my reviews

Rev. Billy and his traveling gospel choir from the Church of Stop Shopping bring up a lot of questions which they cannot necessarily answer, but the point is to allow us to ponder those questions and decide how we might change our ways.

With his loud, outrageous and daring antics, Billy invades Disney store, Starbucks, Disneyland and various American cities and malls as he crusades for an end to the shopping frenzies and consumerism that have taken over the lives of too many Americans--especially during the Christmas season. It's not possible to know how many people he has influenced or if they are really thinking about what he's saying, but perhaps he will simply need to do this every year until more people start listening.

The questions are: why do we think we must shop till we drop for Christmas? Why do we go into debt this way? What makes us think our kids will love us only if we bombard them with toys and the latest electronics? Who really believes that if we don't shop and spend, the terrorists will win? Why do we buy products that we know were made in third world sweatshops by kids? Why are we so obsessed with brand names and designer labels?

And what would Jesus buy? I don't think he would buy anything. He would give of himself, sacrifice, spend time with others, and not be concerned at all with any selfish desires.

This is worth a viewing and some pondering.