Forest Whitaker, Heather Graham, Juliette Binoche

An independent director casts himself as Jesus Christ in his film. The actress playing Mary Magdalene travels alone to Jerusalem after the shoot to continue her spiritual journey inspired by her role....( read more  read more... ) A year later in Manhattan, a superstar network journalist investigates the life and times of Jesus Christ. While his show receives high ratings, he and his wife face a crisis for which they are spiritually unprepared.

Flixster Users

45% liked it

178 ratings

Critics

63% liked it

16 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 36 min.

Directed by: Abel Ferrara

Release Date: October 17, 2008

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Flixster Reviews (52)


  • June 11, 2009
    This film is far ambitious in its range than it is in delivering its message. Despite the cast, there was nothing spiritual in either the characters or the performances,maybe Forest Whittaker's scene of remorse in church towards the end, which was unconvincing. Juliette Binoche w...( read more)as poor in her portrayal of Mary Magdalene, delivering a confused, hysterical portrait of a woman, who is known to be an extraordinary person and the film's central issue.
    The character played by Matthew Modine was the most convincing in his cynical pride, and this fact said something about the spirit which guides the whole film.

    Was hard to understand why this film was made, what was it really trying to say? Why actors like Juliette Binoche and the Oscar winner Forest Whitaker got involved with it? They act well, but it's wasted talent. If you are a fan of Bible inspired films you will like this, otherwise there is no good reason to spend the time seeing it.
  • November 19, 2007
    Good Ferrara film that is very interesting, even if I didn't quite "get it". Once again Ferrara tackles my favourite theme in his films, religion vs faith. Modine plays an obvious Mel Gibson clone who is passionate about Christ, but very self serving. Whitaker is a man who dis...( read more)covers faith and Binoche is an actress who goes crazy. Crazy with Mary Magdelene! Kind of surprised this hasn't gotten a North American release, at least DTV, I mean it's Ferrara! C'mon!
  • September 21, 2009
    Ferrara's weak holy work with Julieete Binoche. She is in declane.
  • January 18, 2009
    Jesus story bring up a lot of speculation...
  • December 25, 2008
    Inept, flat, nonsensical. Whitaker and Graham are miscast, Binoche is lost, and only Modine provides a few pity laughs. There are a few pretty pictures of New York at night.
  • December 1, 2008
    Una trama complessa, in cui i temi della fede e del persono sono affrontati dal grande regista americano in maniera molto riflessiva. Ma stavolta Ferrara sembra essere più diretto, cercando un dialogo col divino. Tuttavia le sceneggiature dei film precedenti (quelle con Nicolas S...( read more)t-John)rimangono a mio avviso le migliori.
  • June 18, 2008
    Lo impresionante de esta pelicula son sus maravillosas y creibles actuaciones, todas centradas que te hacen vivir la historia la primera hora de la cinta. Lo malo, es que predeciblemente el final cae en lo pretencioso.
    Eso si, es de estas peliculas para las cuales hay que estar ...( read more)preparados emocionalmente. Sino, es un malviaje.
  • April 18, 2008
    Tem bons momentos mas deixa a desejar
  • January 4, 2008
    I kinda stumbled upon this movie, apparently being shown during the holiday season in Mexico.

    I know Abel Ferrara's rep. with films like "Bad Lieutenant", "King of New York" and the horrible "New Rose Hotel"...but I can't say I either am a fan of the director, having only seen s...( read more)mall parts of the above movies, nor do I hate Ferrara due to my limited exposure.

    That said, I would like to check out his movies more, and when I read that "Mary" was directed by Ferrara, I certainly was intrigued. But also, I've spent some time reading about gnosticism, the gnostic gospels and Mary Magdalene, which I knew the movie had to at least touch on.

    To provide a more complete synopsis: We have three principal characters: a film director (played by Modine) who is screening a film on the life of Christ and Mary M. called "This is my Blood"; the actress cast as Mary M. (Binoche) for the film; and then there's a talk show host (Whitaker) that centers the story around his tv show (dealing with different perspectives on Jesus) and his life troubles.

    The movie uses the three characters to show three different perspectives on Christianity/religion: an a-religious director, an agnostic talk show host struggling to understand what he believes in, and a radically spiritual former actress. Binoche's character apparently had a spiritual awakening after completing the filming of "This is my Blood" and immediately disappeared in Israel for a year. Meanwhile in the year that follows, we have the film fresh from post-production, ready for screening, experiencing massive protests (parodying "The Last Temptation of Christ) and Modine's character being a cocky bastard (like someone else we know and "love"). And Whitaker puts out a great performance as a rather sleazy tv personality, that essentially will lie and steal to fulfill his wants...which also includes his pregnant wife (played by Heather Graham) who is due to give birth soon.

    So we have a lot of different themes and parallels being put in here: faith vs. religion, "truth"/spirituality vs. orthodoxy, ancient Christian conflict vs. current middle east conflicts/racially motivated violence, egotism vs. humility, career vs. family, Ferrara vs. Mel Gibson. It's a lot to take in, and I can't say the script delivers it up in the most coherent fashion. So some folks will probably hate it for that. I was ok with it, actually I'd hoped Ferrara had made the film a bit longer maybe to explore some of his themes further in depth.

    But I really liked the fact that, although obviously a bit scripted, the talk show clips in the movie featured real scholars (the highlight being Elaine Pagels, one of the more famous and accessible scholars writing on the Gnostic Gospels and (the lost) feminism within early Christianity and Judaism).

    A pretty daring film, not very "general public" friendly but if the themes mentioned above interest you then "Mary" is worth checking out.
  • August 8, 2007
    Uma grande epifania! Constrangedoramente belo! A difícil relação do ser humano e sua fé, em constante transformação em concomitância com as reviravoltas de nossas vidas!

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