Product Details

• Actors: Vince Pavia, Robertson Dean, Aviva, Teresa Willis
• Directors: Jay Floyd
• Format: Dolby, NTSC, Surround Sound
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Indie-Pictures
• DVD Release Date: May 20, 2008
• Run Time: 98 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0014065LS
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #72,535 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Forgiving the Franklins" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Review

The perfect antidote to The Passion of the Christ. --Premiere Magazine

Product Description

FORGIVING THE FRANKLINS is the hilarious and absurd tale of what happens to a conservative North Carolina family after the burden of Original Sin is lifted from them through Divine Intervention.

Before the fortunate catastrophe of a car crash changes them forever, The Franklins are passionless American stereotypes living unfulfilling but picture-perfect lives. Frank's a lawyer, Betty's a homemaker, Brian's a high school football hero, and Caroline's a cheerleader. Not a one of them is genuinely contented in the roles they play.

After the accident, Frank, Betty and Brian emerge from a collective coma, reborn into a life without shame. Much to the horror of Caroline, who escaped the coma, her family's repressed sexuality is unleashed and on display for anyone who'd care to look.

The community they live in doesn t quite appreciate The Franklin's new way of embracing life, which leads to a dramatic conclusion you'll never see coming.

If you're in the mood for a movie that constantly surprises, delights and leaves you thinking when it's over, hop in bed with The Franklins tonight. They'll be happy to teach you a few new tricks.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Feel good anyway!, June 11, 2008

By	ssmithee "ssmithee" (Redondo Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews

It's always a pleasure to see characters in a movie who are wholly good-hearted and well-intentioned, even when they're surrounded by those who are neither. The film's moderately silly premise is that the conservative, religious Franklin family (mother, father, teen boy and girl) are involved in an accident wherein the parents and brother have a near-death experience during which they meet Jesus, a pleasant but somewhat exasperated soul who removes from them the burden of 'original sin.' When they return to their lives, many of their views and attitudes have changed, much to the consternation of the daughter, who didn't share the experience. The religious side is, I think, presented with a good balance, from the good (Jesus) to the starkly awful (those of his 'followers' who are obsessed with the sins of others and utterly oblivious to their own). It's a movie to make you think, give you a few good laughs along the way, and leave you with the pleasant feeling the world just might be a better place than you think it is. Maybe.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jay Floyd is an astounding talent, May 9, 2008

By	Zooey Glass "Sockmonkey" (Peoria, AZ) - See all my reviews

This movie is a pure delight. I too saw it at Sundance. The real star of the film is Jay Floyd the writer, director, producer, and financial backer. I understand he cast it and shot it himself as well. He was one of the most talked about people at Sundance.
This film had me laughing and thinking for months afterward. The 4 members of the Franklin family are played perfectly by the actors.
And you will never view ice cubes the same way again.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spiritual Fun, April 26, 2008

By	Amos Lassen (Little Rock, Arkansas) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

"Forgiving the Franklins"

Spiritual Fun

Amos Lassen

"Forgiving the Franklins" is a dark comedy with one of the most absurd premises I have ever seen but I still love the film. It is honest and funny and thought provoking at the same time and who could ask for more in a film?
The plot concerns a family of fundamentalists who suffer from hyper-stress. They live in a small community with others that think like them. Suddenly an automobile accident changes everything. Three of the four family members have a near death experience and in doing so the concept of original sin is reversed for them. The fourth family member is a cheerleader suffers nothing in the accident and remains psychologically unchanged and becomes witness to her now spiritually bankrupt family. As the movie progresses it becomes more and more outrageous. The three family members are stripped of their spiritual clothing and they horrify everyone around them.
The lack of spirituality makes this movie very spiritual. There is one scene (when the family is sitting around the dining room table) that is just perfect. Even with all of the comedy, the message of the film is very, very strong--so strong, in fact, that the word comedy does it no justice. Here is a comedy for the thinking viewer.
The acting is absolutely wonderful and the talent is fresh and the cast works together like a well oiled engine. Without question this film will anger some people but they are the kind of people that are not moviegoers anyway.
"Forgiving the Franklins" is exceptionally well grounded and the acting is inspired. It is just refreshing to see a dark comedy become humanistic and to see actors who are completely and utterly committed to their craft.