Honk For Jesus, Save Your Soul Review: Megachurch Satire Is Magnetic [Sundance]
In her feature film debut, writer-director Adamma Ebo seamlessly blends satire with incisive drama about the downfall of a megachurch pastor and his attempts to resurrect his reputation. Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul, filmed partially in a mockumentary style, examines megachurch pastors as icons, a scandal’s effects on the community, and who exactly benefits after a seemingly infallible leader falls from his pedestal. Bolstered by exceptional performances by Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown, Ebo’s memorable film strikes the right balance between drama and humor.
After sexual misconduct allegations surface, Pastor Lee-Curtis Childs (Brown) and his wife, “First Lady” Trinitie Childs (Hall) close down their Atlanta-based megachurch, Wander to Greater Paths. However, a month before they’re set to reopen on Easter Sunday, Lee-Curtis invites a documentarian to chronicle their time in a bid to boost their reputation and aid what they believe will be a spectacular comeback. They try to encourage congregants’ return while facing some competition from Pastor Keon Sumpter (Conphidance) and his wife Shakura (Nicole Beharie), whose church will have a grand opening on the same day as Wander to Greater Paths. All the while, Lee-Curtis and Trinitie try to maintain their composure and their smiles amongst a community that no longer holds them to the same level of respect they once did.
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Ebo explores megachurch culture and its two central figures, who were once so popular they attracted over 26,000 congregants to church each Sunday. Ebo hones in on the moments that showcase how very human Trinitie and Lee-Curtis are without creating a false
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