The Catechism Cataclysm (2011)

44% of critics liked it
(16 reviews)
48% of users liked it
(132 ratings)

Storytelling in all its forms is skewered in The Catechism Cataclysm. In this divinely bizarre and funny tale, wild characters infuse stories within stories until the lines between the Bible, Mark Twain, and campfire tales are hilariously blurred. Father Billy (Steve Little), an eccentric young… More Storytelling in all its forms is skewered in The Catechism Cataclysm. In this divinely bizarre and funny tale, wild characters infuse stories within stories until the lines between the Bible, Mark Twain, and campfire tales are hilariously blurred. Father Billy (Steve Little), an eccentric young priest, is forced to take asabbatical by his superiors when he is discovered telling inappropriate parables to his flock. Billy tracks down his high-school idol Robbie (Robert Longstreet), who begrudgingly agrees to a canoe trip. On the water, the two men reminisce about Billy's days as the keyboardist in a Christian band and Robbie's as a guitarist for a metal band. When night approaches, they realize they have lost their way--and that's when things get weird. -- (C) IFC Midnight

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 21 min.
Directed By: Todd Rohal
Written By: Todd Rohal
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Oct 19, 2011 Limited
On DVD: Feb 27, 2012
Studio: IFC Films

Critic Reviews

Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times
A grating and witless would-be spoof of religion, male-bonding and, it seems, horror movies.
Scott Tobias, NPR
William and Robbie's adventure has a shaggy-dog charm that's hard to resist.
Paul Brunick, New York Times
Weird and well-acted...
Nick Schager, Village Voice
Taking the notion of toilet humor literally but incapable of delivering its promised religious satire, The Catechism Cataclysm is more muddled than its tongue-twister title.
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
It seems hopelessly without a point - unless the point has something to do with dropping a Bible into a dirty toilet.
John Gholson, Cinematical
It's a very dumb comedy made by very smart folks.
Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, Ebert Presents At The Movies
A lot of it is tedious and directionless.
Fr. Chris Carpenter, Movie Dearest
As a professional preacher, I could appreciate (the film) to some degree as a satiric take on storytelling in both religious and secular circles. Sorry to say, that's about as far as my appreciation goes.
, Boston Phoenix
A priest and a washed-up heavy metal drummer step into a boat. . . . This isn't the start of a joke, but rather the plot of Todd Rohal's strange IFC film.
Noel Murray, AV Club
Even after the movie takes its turn for the surreal, it remains rooted in the reactions of slack-faced good guy Little and the gruff-but-loveable Longstreet.
David Fear, Time Out New York
Such detours into psychotronic oddity for its own sake can make even a 75-minute running time feel like an eternity.
Eric Kohn, indieWIRE
It's essentially a hilariously brazen lark, which is reason enough to embrace it.
Simon Abrams, Slant Magazine
While the ending to any shaggy-dog story is supposed to be irrelevant, The Catechism Cataclysm's capper is particularly enervating.
Leslie Stonebraker, New York Press
rather than use this premise as a set up for bible satire, the film relies on diarrhea jokes and uninspired buddy-bonding to carry us through an ill-plotted tale of damnation and redemption
David D'Arcy, Screen International
Watching the lazy surreal odyssey unfold, you might be tempted to see The Catechism Cataclysm as a metaphor about telling a story, or about the futility of telling a story.
Jordan Hoffman, UGO
Catechism Cataclysm ain't perfect, but people in the, um, right frame of mind will definitely have a big, dopey grin on their face.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Kyle F

The Catechism Cataclysm starts out promising to be one of the great comic masterpieces of our time. Perfect comic acting and comic timing, not to mention some pretty darn good comic writing, had me super excited. Unfortunately, before the movie is over, it spirals into total lazy… More
The Catechism Cataclysm starts out promising to be one of the great comic masterpieces of our time. Perfect comic acting and comic timing, not to mention some pretty darn good comic writing, had me super excited. Unfortunately, before the movie is over, it spirals into total lazy randomness, squandering its potential. Steve Little stays game throughout the whole film, though, and for that I am grateful.

Cast

            Steven E. Little as Father Billy

            Robert Longstreet as Robbie

            Walter Dalton as Father O'Herlihey

            Miki Ann Maddox as Huck Finn

            Koko Lanham as Huckleberry Finn

            Rico as Jim

            Judy Findlay as Old Lady

            Carlos López as Hoodlum #1

            Derek Erdman as Hoodlum #2

            Ronald McGill as Hoodlum #3

            Alice Bridgforth as Parishioner Linda

            Laurel Paxton as Parishioner Gloria

            Kevin Seal as Parishioner Kevin Seal

            Lynn Shelton as Parishioner Judy

            Vinny Smith as Parishioner Teddy

            Andy Tribolini as Parishioner Lowery

            Timothy Watkins as Father Tim

            Carol Sparer as Waitress

            Shellee Miggins as Restaurant Patron

            Marie Clare Petrich as Restaurant Patron

            Frederick Regis as Restaurant Patron

            C.J. Rose as Restaurant Patron

            Paul Sanchez as Restaurant Patron

            Rylan Scherer as Restaurant Patron

            Garrett Cantrell as Rest Stop Family Member

            Jessica Hutchinson as Rest Stop Family Member

            Brock Hutchinson as Rest Stop Family Member

            Sadie Cantrell as Rest Stop Family Member

            Joe Ivy as Canoe Shop Owner

            Barbara Pommer as Milagros Maria

            Enrique Olguin as Miguel

            Jay Wesley Cochran as Depressed Businessman

            Ernie Joseph as Mr. James Sexmun

            Dan Leavitt as Kindly Driver

            Steve Little
            
            Wally Dalton
            
            Rico A. Comic
            
            Barbara Pomer
            
See full cast