User reviews

The movie was great aside from the ending. Acting was on point, and I was really interested throughout the film. The last 5 minutes leave the worst feeling in your stomach. If you hate a story that does NOT end on a happy note then stear clear.

This movie focuses upon people who abandon their humanity for the sake of their religion, and how hurtful and cruel they can become under the influence of their religious beliefs. As another reviewer mentioned, it's an indictment against religion, not against homosexuality. The most moral person in the movie is the homeless, homosexual drifter.

There are a few decent scenes here and a premise that could be very interesting if handled by more adept storytellers, but everything good about this movie is negated by the abrupt third-act shift in tone. "The Revival" might have worked if it had remained a semi-comedic romance throughout or if it had been a dark morality tale from the beginning, but Frankenstein-ing them together just made the whole experience unpleasant. The movie looks decent for a low budget project, but the camera is a bit too shaky in spots. Some scenes go on too long, while other parts of the story are glossed over and the romance, one of the few elements that actually work, is completely rushed. The two lead actors are both charismatic and deliver respectable performances. David Rysdahl seems confused about what emotion he's trying to convey in some scenes, but that can be excused as he's carrying much of this movie on his back. The writer and director carry equal responsibility for the failures here. Also, a special demerit has to be issued for the Foley artists, who apparently don't know what a blowjob sounds like.

In this film, the ending was created first and then the writer worked backwards towards an unnatural, unbelievable beginning. What we end up with is actually two separate movies. The first half is a romance drama and the second half is a horror movie. And at no point did the two separate halves connect in a believable way. Preacher Eli, a mix of Mr. Rogers and Mayor Pete Buttigieg, develops an unexpected romantic/sexual relationship with a rough looking, cigarette smoking, meth using drifter. As any good preacher would do, he takes pity on the guy and gives him food and shelter. Of course, the preacher has a wife and she's no so gay friendly. A few late night outs and she's begins to get suspicious of Eli. At some point, (not shown) she follows him and snaps a picture of him embracing his drifter boyfriend. She shows the photo to Eli, who seems quietly shocked and upset since his big secret is now known. Up to that point, he seemed very willing to take risks with his boyfriend, by spending nights in bed with him, for example. But then there was a sudden, inexplicable break in his character. There were no NEW and clear external forces that caused this break. His character just turned on a dime. He, his wife and their Baptist congregation conspired to become Satan incarnate. Enter Mr. Hyde and his witchful wife.

This movie was well done however I was hoping that the main protagonist was going to rise above the hatred he was feeling towards his own truth let alone the small minded townspeople ...but alas that was not what happened instead something horrifying.

The film seeks to dive-in to the "real" reasons many small-town Americans go to church; obligation, social outlet, insecurities, and even a sense of "keeping up with the Jones'". Through the main character, a Pastor, we see his condemnation of all these superficial reasons (as opposed to "understanding God"), then learn HIS reason for being a pastor is just as shallow as the other reasons he loathes among his congregation (which he clearly detests just below the surface). Yet it is out of this same perceived obligation to these people that he has to mask his true nature, which comes flooding out when he meets a drifter. Through his interactions with this drifter, we see the choices the Pastor is forced to make, as well as the real nature of his congregation...which has always been there just below the surface. Great acting, excellent script (truly believable on both parts) and well edited. There were a couple of parts which were very predictable (almost to cliche') and although the cinematography was very professional, it could have been a bit more creative given the subject-matter. All in all, very well done and worth watching.

Above average just for the production value and acting (since many american gay-themed movies are of mediocre quality).

**SPOILER**

Again another movie where one main gay character DIES! The story goes nowhere really and the end is very frustrating and seem to suggest being gay is bad!

Not being a fan of gratuitous violence I avoided this film because of something I read about it. But the subject matter, or what I thought the subject matter to be, had me curious. So I spent a whopping $4.99 at iTunes and rented it, ready to pull the plug at any moment if necessary. It wasn't at all what I've heard described here or elsewhere. And if it were I would be writing a very different one star review.

To begin with, the writing is excellent. This film delivers an authentic, and uncomfortable, small town "church voice" through the characters and their interactions with one another. The pastor, Eli (played by David Rysdahl) has inherited a small church from his deceased father. He hears his father's sermons through cassette tapes he plays in his car while driving around; and in his head, perpetually, everywhere he goes. We hear them in voice-over as a viewer. They're hateful, cruel, and for him, inescapable. At a potluck lunch after service one Sunday, a homeless man, Daniel (Zachary Booth), shows up for the free food. Eli, desperate for any new attendees to his failing church, tries to welcome him but Daniel never looks up from his food. Not even when he tells the preacher that he has "pretty hands". Let the creepiness, and it's unexpected origins, begin.

Like any stray, if you feed them they'll come back. And Daniel does. This time Eli gives him the brown bag lunch his wife made for him; and a place to stay. It's a small cabin in an isolated area that was used previously to hide Eli's mother from the public when her drinking became an embarrassment to his father. Apparently his mother is also deceased so there's room now to hide someone else because what Eli subconsciously has in mind needs to be hidden from everyone he knows. Especially his wife and congregation.

Daniel has a slightly predatory air about him. By contrast the waifish, terminally unsure of himself man of God, Eli, comes off as the weak, and easily overpowered, one in the heard. It soon becomes clear that he may not be as devoted to his church wife as he should be and that he is getting in way over his head. His interest in Daniel is carnal; not "Christian"; even as his father's angry words blast through his mind on a continuous loop.

This is a small budget film but this is not small budget acting, directing, cinematography, or writing. The leads, Zachary Booth, David Rysdahl, Lucy Faust, and Raymond McAnally, give impressive performances that will leave an impression on you. These are the church people with their church faces and their real faces. And those two faces are at odds with one another. Without getting too specific I'll just say that the Snow Owl story, as told by one fo these characters, is chilling.

The crux of this story is that of a an inexperienced preacher trying to hang on to what's left of his father's congregation even as his personal life is unravelled by a homeless stranger, a pregnant wife, and the emergence of feelings he's kept buried his entire life. Despite all of this, his desire to lead people in a new and better way is genuine. In a moment of frustration he rails at one of his flock saying, "People have personalized their God to the point of becoming their own God". No truer, or more cautionary, words were ever spoken. But he doesn't even realize how cautionary his own words are.

The conclusion of this story advances incrementally in a way that I did not see coming. By the last frame I was a little bit in disbelief of what I had just seen. It's not a film I would watch numerous times but it is a film I would recommend that everyone watch at least once. And I will say that, on this subject (see for yourself what "this" is), it may be the best made film, and most powerful in terms of message, I've ever seen. Which is even more amazing given the small size of the production. I am gay and I understand the revulsion some may have towards this story. To that I would say, you're not picking up what they're putting down. And what they're "putting down" is a powerful message. And an indictment of homophobic religiosity.

I believe that the crafters of this movie wanted to show the potential damage that happens when you live in a territory dominated by a singular mindset. In this case, it was a backwater community that exemplifies plenty of real areas in the United States. It is also a breeding ground for overbearing and misguided religion. The ending defies what we want to see happen; but it does so on purpose. People don't always rise to the occasion. The tide of group-mentality pulls heroes into it, too.

I'm suspicious about watching gay themed movies, most of them aren't interested in telling a story, their main goal seems to be to punish people for being gay. Even if it's a "pro-gay" movie it often is filled with heartbreak, tragedy and punishment. Yes gay life has these things, as well as straight life. Life is so much more, there are incredible moments of love, happiness and reward. I'd like to see those moments.

This genre of punishment needs to come to an end. Surprisingly the acting was pretty good in this movie. You can tell some of these actors have cut their chops in community theater but they put forward a respectable performance. There was a deeper character development than is usually seen in these types of movies but there's nothing new here, it's been done before so many times. I had hope that maybe this would be something new, it would break new ground and have some hope and love but it's mostly filled with angst and hate.

For me and I'm sure for many people there is a hope for acceptance in religion for gay people. I look for the day when churches accept gay people and makes a home for them without thinking of them as sinners or as a lesser person.

This film was hugely disappointing to me and left me with a bad feeling. It didn't break any new ground. It's a sad excuse for a movie. I really think it's time for women to stop thinking they understand the relationship or feelings 1 man can have for another. I know they want to be empathetic, understanding and accepting but until you walk in my shoes you can't know my world no matter how good your imagination.

After watching a few of the romantic scenes from this movie, I decided to watch the entire movie, but NOT before I consulted reviews on IMDB. So when I read that the ending was tragic, I fast forwarded through it. Death in Buenos Aires had a far more horrific, offensive ending by the way.

Acting and writing were convincing enough, but what starts out as an unexpected and interesting gay romance between two charismatic characters turns into a forced, brutal tragedy and to what end???? There is no message here for a gay audience. And there certainly is no entertainment value. I am 59, and gay, and I find it very VERY offensive that screenwriters and directors find it so easy to make gay themed movies that are not directed at a gay audience. Certainly, gay audiences are no different from straight audiences. WE WANT to be entertained and see positive portrayals of other gay men. So, the writers of these types of gay themed movies may be thinking they are sending an effective pro-gay message to straight homophobes, but I would bet those types of people won't be in the audience. So....who the heck is the intended audience? I'm GAY....it's sure isn't me.

It's just plain homophobia. There's nothing good about it. The ending is sad, actually it's worst, it's horrific. I read somewhere the end was surprising. It's the same ending we've been getting to queer themed movies. It's sad, and unoriginal. Don't watch it.

I think this is pretty much the worst gay themed movie I have ever watched. Not because it's badly produced, but because it has such terrible things to say at the end. It added nothing new to any sort of discussion and the end... omg, the end is something I want to erase from my mind forever. I am actually disgusted by this. Don't watch this, it is not worth your time.

The title appears to be very friendly and nice but at the end the movie put Christians and gays down, I don't understand how channels can promote this kind of movie , I wish I could give negative stars!

I saw this at Inside/Out the Toronto LGBT festival. Everyone was blown away by the acting and directing. This movie broke my heart and made me think. Ultimately it is about oppression in religious communities in the southern US. With the current US President and VP this movie needs to be seen immediately. It takes a stand against bigotry and hypocrisy. Watch this movie for yourself and decide what it's about.

The romance is way to rushed. No build up at all. It seemed so unrealistic. The other guy's making meth like it's no big deal. That thing is brought up twice and never gets discussed. As if that was an everyday thing to do. One actor smiled during this one scene, where you would just be like. Why the heck are you smiling. You just cheated on your wife? (And why am i watching him smile for 1 min straight.) I dunno, when you see it you'll understand. But it's not really worth a watch.

This is not an uplifting movie. What seem to be a good interesting romance between two gay men in a christian background turned into some kind of hellish nightmare.

This is not! the sort of film I would expect to see in 2017. We need to move on from the tragic gay storyline into, dare I said it, greener pastures.

Despite the very good leads in the film, the typical gay meets tragic end is problematic. This should have had a better ending. Truly disappointing.

It's a movie that is made almost entirely of ridiculous stereotypes coming from a place of ill feel better if I attack these people.

The basic premise of the movie is that there is a gay who hates gays. That is like a black person hating black people, it is illogical and doesn't truly make sense. Maybe they were going for misplaced hate because he truly hates himself for being gay be abuse he believes it's wrong so he takes it out on others but the movie doesn't hold that up. Then there is the idea that it's against his religion, but he is the pastor of the church. He is the leader of his religious community, so what religious figure is telling him it's wrong? Then towards the end there is a break through of sorts type of scene with really bad props and most characters would go one way and the entire movie leading up to that point says he'd go that way but he goes the opposite way. Clearly the other big religious person in the community regrets what happened, and the pastor is a sociopath. If that doesn't stereotype the south enough there is a man having a relationship with his first cousin. I've spoken to enough Christian religious leaders to know the reason why there aren't any bible quotes about homosexuality in that movie because there is only one that merely says you shouldn't have sex with men and it comes from the Old Testament where it also says you shouldn't eat pork but multiple religious men had multiple wives.

It's a movie that is made almost entirely of ridiculous stereotypes coming from a place of ill feel better if I attack these people.

This movie made me so angry at the end it is so what we see in real life today do we lgbt people care to see shit like this on a movie, it should be vise versa its not, it just promotes a more evangelical movement of fake religion and bigotry it the most homophobic movie that i have ever watched and i really could careless if i seen the charactors in another movie i mean this movie has no buisness being even released im normally sad and emotional at the end of these movies like the movie fair haven, but this one i hate it and no other ways can explain it!