Saved! | Rotten Tomatoes

Saved!

PG-13

Released Jan 21, 2004

1 hr. 32 min.

Comedy

Drama

LGBTQ+

List

61%

148 Reviews

Tomatometer

78%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Mary (Jena Malone) is a devout girl at a Christian high school, dating Dean (Chad Faust). But her perfect world begins to fall apart when Dean reveals that he's gay. She receives a vision from Jesus and tries everything she can to help Dean, including offering her virginity. Unfortunately, Dean is sent to a treatment center to "cure" him, and Mary discovers she's pregnant. When her friends turn on her, she finds solace with school misfits Roland (Macaulay Culkin) and Cassandra (Eva Amurri).

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Critics Consensus

A satirical teen comedy that, unfortunately, pulls its punches.

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Todd C

First of all, I think think this film didn't get enough praise as it should have. Or, I just missed it somehow. I'm quite confident that many of the negative reviews are from critics that were offended by the alleged anti-Christian views. However, I would say that the opposite is true. It is not an anti-Christian film, it may be an anti-right-wing Christian film. One of my favorite scenes in the film, before I get into the plot, was when a group of Christian teens got together for a prayer meeting to help play the "gayness" out of Dean. It highlighted the hypocrisy of these prayer meetings, prayer circles, or whatever you want to call them as nothing more than passive-aggressive gossip circles. I wish it was me that came up with the following, but it was none other than Roger Ebert: "Saved!" has a political message: Jesus counseled more acceptance and tolerance than some of his followers think. By the end of the movie, mainstream Christian values have not been overthrown but demonstrated and embraced. Those who think Christianity is just a matter of enforcing their rulebook have been, well, enlightened. And that all of this takes place in a sassy and smart teenage comedy is, well, a miracle". I loved that review. The basic plot: Mary Cummings (Jena Malone) enters her senior year at her Baptist Christian High School. She is part of a group called the Christian Jewels with two of her best friends. Mary and her boyfriend share some secrets with each other in the pool and Dean's secret is that he thinks he is gay. Mary hit her head and had what she thinks is a vision of Jesus telling her to have sex with Dean to help rid him of his homosexuality and she believes Jesus will restore her virginity. Dean's parents find out he is "gay" and send him to a place called Mercy House to rid him of his gayness. Well, this one-time sexual encounter results in Mary getting pregnant. She hides her pregnancy with the help of my favorite character in the film, Casandra, who is the only Jewish girl at the high school. Through all this Mary begins to question her faith, or more specifically, the faith being espoused by her friends and the school she attends. I know this doesn't sound like a comedy, but it was really funny and really sweet at times. It is a film that brought a tear to my eye a couple of times. The first was when Casandra met Mary in the bathroom because Casandra knew that Mary was hiding her pregnancy. Mary stated that she can do this alone and in a poignant moment, Cassandra said, "no you can't" and they hugged. This is the best I have ever seen Macaulay Culkin (Roland) in a film. He played a paraplegic brother of Hillary Fay (the leader of the Christian Jewels, and the most popular girl in school). He is not as into the whole "Christian" thing as his sister. He and Cassandra become friends and eventually boyfriend/girlfriend. Culminated by a very sweet moment about them "getting each other". Roland, Mary, and Cassandra become friends as they navigate going to a Christian school while questioning their own faith, dealing with pregnancy, and coming of age. This film is more real than I think it got credit for. One of the funniest scenes in the film was Cassandra starting to speak in "tongues" at one of the assemblies at the high school. There is so much more to this film and I know I'm not doing it justice. Real quick: 1. The Principal of the School starts having an "affair" with Mary's mom. 2. The principal's son falls for Mary and reveals that he doesn't believe that her boyfriend who is gay is a "deviant" and believes it is ok to be gay. He also doesn't care that Mary is pregnant. 3. It is not a film about abortion as some right-wing rags said. In fact, abortion was brought up once and Mary did not choose that option. 4. There is a great scene near the end with Mary, her mom (played by Mary-Louise Parker), Mary's new boyfriend (the Pastor's son), her old boyfriend who is the father of her baby and gay, and her old boyfriend's boyfriend. It was hilarious and beautiful at the same time. The director of the film went to a Baptist high school and said that he based it on his own experience at a Christian High School. He said he really didn't make anything up. I can relate to that. I did not go to a Christian high school, but I was raised in a Baptist church. There are shortcomings to this film to be sure, but they are forgivable. The message is greater than the short-comings. I think all 9th-grade students should watch this film. I know all right-wing nut jobs will be offended and that makes me happy.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/02/23

Full Review

Andi Z

Hilarious film that touches on the hypocrisy of religion, the difficulty of trying to do the right thing in an unclear world, and a message that acting with love and understanding is the best way to navigate life. If movies that examine Evangelical Christianity/religion in a sometimes challenging light is uncomfortable for you, you won't want to see it. Highly recommend.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/16/23

Full Review

John R

It's pretty predictable. The plot points are telegraphed from a mile away. No surprises. No big laughs either. The main appeal of the movie is that it chastises Christianity and the culture of American bible thumpers. Mildly entertaining but you can skip it.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

07/11/23

Full Review

StephenPaul C

LOL, the funniest 01 hour: and 34 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My favorite line is: "S**t! F**k! D**n!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/23/23

Full Review

pam p

one of the greatest.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Hysterical look at ultra right Christians. You could do one on the ultra left looney Episcopal Church too, my wacky church.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

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Brian Dannelly

Director

Jena Malone

Mary

Mandy Moore

Hilary Faye

Macaulay Culkin

Roland

Patrick Fugit

Patrick

Heather Matarazzo

Tia

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Saved!: Official Clip - I'm Gonna Beat This

1:03

Saved!: Official Clip - I Think I'm Gay

1:21

Saved!: Official Clip - Prom Surprise

2:24

Saved!: Official Clip - I Like You

2:09

Saved!: Official Clip - Telling Off Hilary Faye

1:12

Saved!: Official Clip - Drunk in the Cafeteria

1:58

Saved!: Official Clip - Mary Crashes the Prayer Circle

1:10

Saved!: Official Clip - The Fall of Hilary Faye

3:01

Saved!: Official Clip - Framed

2:05

Saved!: Official Clip - Ladies' Room Heart-to-Heart

1:57

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Nina

Autostraddle

What's fascinating about these two characters is not just how different they start off in the beginning of the movie, but how... They grow from not just the high school caricatures we assume to survive, but end up whole and complex people.

Jun 14, 2021

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Begins as a satire, ends with a renewal of faith.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 28, 2010

Full Review

Time Out

It's a shame the closing moral about a more pragmatic, inclusive approach to spirituality is conveyed with such a heavy hand.

Jun 24, 2006

Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

These characters were brought to life by a wonderful ensemble cast who clearly connected with the humanity and the spirituality of their roles.

Rated: 3.5/4.0

Sep 21, 2020

Full Review

Paul Dale

The List

German-born writer/director Brian Dannelly's film reinterprets a genre he clearly loves with the camp fervor of the born again.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 22, 2019

Full Review

Mark Steyn

The Spectator

After 90 minutes of this film's dozy condescension, you can only marvel at Hollywood's near-total ignorance of a large chunk of its local audience.

Jan 25, 2018

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

Mary (Jena Malone) is a devout girl at a Christian high school, dating Dean (Chad Faust). But her perfect world begins to fall apart when Dean reveals that he's gay. She receives a vision from Jesus and tries everything she can to help Dean, including offering her virginity. Unfortunately, Dean is sent to a treatment center to "cure" him, and Mary discovers she's pregnant. When her friends turn on her, she finds solace with school misfits Roland (Macaulay Culkin) and Cassandra (Eva Amurri).

Director: Brian Dannelly
Screenwriter: Brian Dannelly, Michael Urban
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Infinity International Entertainment, James Forsyth Casting Inc.
Rating: PG-13 (Pregnancy|Language|Sexual Content|Smoking)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 21, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 25, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $459.4K
Sound Mix: Surround

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