The Big Question (2004)

44% of critics liked it
(9 reviews)
64% of users liked it
(246 ratings)

A pair of filmmakers explore the issues of faith in the 21st century during the shooting of a controversial retelling of the life of Jesus Christ in this documentary. Francesco Cabras and Alberto Molinari are documentarians who also work as actors, and the two men had small roles in Mel Gibson's… More A pair of filmmakers explore the issues of faith in the 21st century during the shooting of a controversial retelling of the life of Jesus Christ in this documentary. Francesco Cabras and Alberto Molinari are documentarians who also work as actors, and the two men had small roles in Mel Gibson's film The Passion of the Christ. During the course of filming in Southern Italy, Cabras and Molinari brought a small camera crew to the set and conducted interviews with members of the cast and crew (including Gibson, Jim Caviezel, and Monica Bellucci) in which they asked a few simple yet revealing questions about faith. As actors, historical advisors, local extras, grips, and others ponder questions such as "Who is God to you?," "What happens after life?," and "If you were born on the other side of the world, would you have the same religion?," the subjects attempt to explain their own perspectives on faith and their personal relationship with the Lord as well as the circumstances that led them to their current beliefs. The Big Question received its North American premier at the 2004 AFI Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 6 min.
Directed By: Alberto Molinari, Francesco Cabras
Genres: Documentary, Faith & Spirituality, Musical & Performing Arts, Special Interest

In Theaters: Mar 24, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Apr 4, 2006
Studio: ThinkFilm

Critic Reviews

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
It's a pity they didn't release this film paired with The Passion. It plays better than any 'Why I made this movie' documentary you've ever seen.
Lou Lumenick, New York Post
An annoying documentary by Francesco Cabras and Alberto Molinari.
Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
What might have made for an interesting short film lacks the weight to sustain its feature (albeit, brief) length.
Robert Koehler, Variety
Intriguing and surprisingly witty.
Dana Stevens, New York Times
An exploration of personal religious belief in which members of the cast and crew of [The Passion of the Christ], as well as people from the southern Italian villages where it was made, are asked to ponder the question, 'What is God to you?'
Joshua Land, Village Voice
Cabras and Molinari squander a golden opportunity to produce a spiritually oriented variation on the lightweight making-of genre.
Robert W. Butler, Kansas City Star
While offering no tidy answers, The Big Question does illustrate the astounding variety of human experience and belief. Perhaps we can find some spiritual satisfaction in that.
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
A collage of highly personal reflections that range from the goofy to the surprisingly affecting.
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine
Evenhanded as it may generally be, The Big Question can't avoid having the opinions of Mel Gibson.