Main Cast: Sarah Silverman, Steve Agee, Jim Bodma, Jon Cellini, Suzannah Fagan
Release Year: 2005
Country: US
Run Time: 72 minutes
Plot
Comedian Sarah Silverman cheerfully ignores any and all taboos in this performance film based on her hit off-Broadway show. Combining stand-up material with comedy sketches and musical numbers, Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic is dominated by Silverman's typically edgy monologues, including bits on racism, September 11, family dysfunction, drug abuse, rape, the Holocaust and plenty of other unlikely sources of comedy guaranteed to make viewers squirm while they laugh. Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic had its American premier at the 2005 South by Southwest Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Sarah Silverman is not a ditzy, shallow, racist, homophobic hatemonger, but she does play one on TV. The most distinctive female voice in stand-up didn't get there just by saying things women don't say -- but by saying things people don't say. But Silverman is not half as controversial as she might be, because she doesn't mean a bit of it. The character Silverman plays is part and parcel to everything she does. Without her once having to call attention to herself or drop character, savvy viewers recognize she's only lampooning a person who would really say such horrible things. Her delicate balancing act, her spacey earnestness, her matter-of-fact delivery, and her willingness to "go there" for a joke are what make her so funny. Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic is a good introduction to the comic, but it's never more than that. According to the loose framing device, Jesus Is Magic is the show she brainstormed at the last minute to one-up a pair of successful colleagues, and as a result, it's an unevenly paced mixture of stand-up and short cutaways. Each of these explores one basic theme: Sarah Silverman will say anything, often the most totally wrong thing you wouldn't expect her to say. Her cheerful songs -- particularly her love ditty that touches on every ignorant stereotype in the book -- are perfect illustrations of Silverman at her best. However, one bit, in which she strangles the corpse at her dead grandmother's wake, suggests she sometimes has no loftier goal than shock value -- which detracts some from her sublime persona. While this performance is not for anyone with prudish sensibilities, those who like their comedy squirmy and edgy will be more than satisfied. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
Steve Agee - guy in wings; Jim Bodma - Grandma's friend; Jon Cellini - funeral attendee; Suzannah Fagan - soccer mom; David Derby - bass guitar player; Robin Goldwasser - harmonies; Dee Kaye - soccer mom; Jonathan Kimmel - harmonies; Laura Silverman - Laura; Bob Odenkirk - manager; Brian Posehn - Brian
Credit
Liam Lynch - Director, Liam Lynch - Editor, Grant Jue - Line Producer, Liam Lynch - Composer (Music Score), Henry Arce - Production Designer, Rhet W. Bear - Cinematographer, Heidi Herzon - Producer, Mark Williams - Producer, Randy Sosin - Producer, Rusty Walden - Unit Production Manager, Sarah Silverman - Screenwriter
Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic is a 2005comedy written by Sarah Silverman. It is notable for its edgy jokes and comedic style. It was directed by Liam Lynch and distributed by Roadside Attractions.
The film was released November 11, 2005 in eight theatres. Receiving positive reviews, it made just under $125,000 during opening weekend. Its performance led to an expanded release in as many as 57 theatres, resulting in a box office take of more than $1.2 million. The movie was released on DVD on June 6, 2006 in the United States, June 13 in Canada, and October 13, 2008 in the United Kingdom. A soundtrack CD was also released featuring most of the musical numbers, excerpts from Silverman's stand-up comedy, and several additional non-movie songs.
