PLOT: A controversial pastor and his wife, attempt to start their ministry again after a scandal nearly destroyed everything for the two.
REVIEW: Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. That’s the title. The new comedic satire directed by Adamma Ebo examines a pastor and his wife dealing with a past scandal. And yes, it’s one that we’ve seen happen to a few famous televangelists and such, now and again. The film stars Sterling K. Brown as Lee-Curtis Childs, pastor of a prominent Southern Baptist Church. His wife, Trinitie Childs, is played by the talented Regina Hall. The two desperately attempt to bring their uplifting gospel words back to his congregation. Yet, with Lee-Curtis’ past and the desire to spend more and more money, the two may not be ready for the big leagues again.
Trinitie Childs hopes that she and her husband can, once again, find acceptance into the good graces of their community. Their plan? To bring back the many who used to look at the “good” pastor with awe and inspiration. However, their goals become jeopardized by the competition of a younger and less controversial couple, Keon Sumpter (Conphidance) and his wife, Shakura (Nicole Beharie). Meanwhile, the Lee-Curtis and Trinitie are dealing with an unseen documentary filmmaker named Anita (Andrea Laing), who is producing a film on the religious power couple. As the two prepare for the return of their services, the problems of the past seem to be returning in a big way.
Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. is an intriguing story. It brings the audience inside the privileged world of a man who made his money by convincing his followers to give it to him. While it’s perhaps easier to feel sympathy for Trinitie, it’s impossible to feel much for what and who they are. In one particularly cringe-worthy moment, the pastor begins to swear and throw a tantrum because he stepped in gum. While on-camera during the documentary, he pleads that they are expensive shoes. It’s funny, but only in that, you know whose money went into buying the ridiculous purchase.
What truly shines in Honk for Jesus are the two leading performances. Sterling K. Brown fearlessly tackles the role of a pastor facing severe accusations. The actor brings the necessary bravura to Lee-Curtis, yet he perfectly adds greed and shame in equal parts. It’s an impressive performance. Yet it’s Regina Hall that brings a hint of goodness to the film. As Trinitie, you get the sense that somehow, this woman is a true believer – yet she’s nearly as money obsessed as her husband. However, Hall is allowed the chance to show a glimmer of hope and understanding. Even still, it isn’t easy to truly feel for them.
The satirical elements behind this tale are clear, and frankly, it’s an engaging dissection into the mindset of folks like this. Yet, the comedic side is only mildly successful. The moments of levity are many, yet they don’t quite bring the audience to loud guffaws. However, there are plenty of smirk-worthy moments. The choice of having a documentary crew follow the couple offers a couple of cringy funny moments. Director Ebo does an impressive job at creating a reality-based situation that I was convinced was based on a true story. It’s a funny film, similar to how real-life scandals sometimes play out in a public forum. They aren’t always fun or actually funny, but occasionally they’re fascinating to watch.
Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul is an enjoyable feature. As a satirical comedy, it’s a more successful satire than a comedy, but there’s a lot that works. Adamma Ebo, who writes and directs the film, engagingly explores the lives of a powerful couple who seemingly grift off of their congregation. However, the best thing about the film may be the casting of both Sterling K. Brown and Regina Hall. Both are terrific as a couple dealing with scandal and the need to do the Lord’s work – questionably so. While I enjoyed the film, I’m unsure how I feel about the final few minutes. But at least I’m still thinking about it. Honk For Jesus is a solid feature film debut from Ebo, and you can check it out at a theatre near you.
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