RbDeraj The Hess team started their career in a very atypical fashion. With the starting surprise success of Napoleon Dynamite and the continued yet not quite as well received Nacho Libre they made their mark. Their next film Gentlemen Broncos failed to wow me as the first two and showed they couldn't keep producing the same effective comedy as they had before. Don Verdean had a similar issue. The first two thirds of the film didn't even make me crack a smile. In the beginning it mainly poked fun at the world of American Christianity most of which was excellently targeted on the faults, hypocrisy, ridiculousness, and phony parts of organized religion. But to me this came across in more of a bitter/angry sort of way rather than comedic. It just didn't work well and didn't have intrigue, nothing but a bait-less hook. The last third of the movie, on the other hand took a turn for the better. The story became interesting, the writing improved, the continual wit and hilarity that I saw in the Hess's previous projects out poured. While none of the acting was bad, Jemaine Clement as Boaz gave an especially entertaining performance. The beginning gave a bad taste in my mouth, but I'm glad I stuck around for the end.

shominy-491-652355 What a great movie! "Don Verdean" is the type of movie we need more of these days! Great actors, great plot, hilarious lines, very interesting subject matter! This movie did not have a dull moment. All of the actors are perfect. The script is perfect. We enjoyed every minute of this movie. We will definitely watch it again. Sam Rockwell is great in every movie. What a multi-talented actor. When watching him as Don Verdean, it's difficult to believe he is the same actor in "Seven Psychopaths" (another great movie). This film shows how easy it is to fool people who want to believe so desperately in something. Thanks, Netflix, for adding this gem to your lineup! A++++++++!

Prabhat_KS_1729 Don Verdean is a movie about a biblical archaeologist whose heart is in the ballpark of right place. But one act throws him in the vicious cycle of lies. It is a movie you can get into and get out quickly and the script does give you couple of hearty laughs along the way. The story is good too. But at the end of it all, the movie is a sheer waste of talent. I personally sought the flick for its cast itself in spite of the poor reviews. Sam Rockwell, Will Forte, Jemaine Claiment and Danny McBride are actors who can single handedly enact finest comedic material. Support from Amy Ryan and Leslie Bibb should have iced up the act. But the story loses steam a few minutes into the film and veers into banality by the second act. The events look forced and the humour gets generated only from dialogs. For example, when Don covers up for Goliath's head everything in that sequence looks concocted. The natural flow is absent thereafter and story seems to be forced towards an ending. Overall, the film deserves a one time watch- for its cast at the least.

subxerogravity Huge fan of Sam Rockwell so I was excited to see this flick. He plays the title character a Archaeologist specializing in finding artifacts that prove the Christian faith is real, but under pressure he becomes a con artist and gets over his head keeping the con going.Danny McBride and Jemaine Clement (of flight of the Concords fame) give the quirky comedy to Rockwell's straight man. Both men give me some laugh out loud moments. While Will Forte who is also in the movie is good for just a few giggles here and there.The story was actually really cool as it becomes very outrageous when the devoted Christian starts to go a little too far to keep his con going.It is unfair to compare Don Verdean to Napoleon Dynamite, but I can't help it after finding out the same guy directed both. I'd say Don Verdean had more story and is strengthen by Sam Rockwell's performance with McBride and Clement supporting him. It has the same style of charm that makes all the characters interesting to watch. Plus it really is good for a few laughs.