DVD Reviews

Religulous

• Rating:
• Director: Larry Charles
• Starring: Bill Maher
• Details: USA / 101min (TBC)

There seems to be a recurring theme throughout Bill Maher's focused, irreverent and very funny documentary, and that's an almost purposeful naivety. At one point near the beginning, he compares organised religion to the lottery: "you can't get saved if you don't play." Maher simply doesn't get it; but he is, at least, open to discussing the merits of any religion, and travels throughout America, Europe and the Middle East in an attempt to enlighten himself as to why people believe in what he regards simply as fairytales. It's obvious that the vast majority of the populace find comfort in their faith but what interests Maher is the unabashed willingness of some of these people to ignore what is scientific fact, in order to allow that faith exist. No one religion in particular is targeted, as his gripe appears to not lie with one, but the majority of those that appear to benefit from the gullibility of their followers, as well as being built almost entirely on lies.

It goes without saying that Maher really needed to tread carefully here; he's not just pissing off one group of fundamentalists, but all of them. Strangely, his thinking may have been that they'll all cancel each other out, and it does appear to do that. Under the watchful eye of Borat director Larry Charles (who appears throughout), this is a very smartly edited, well assembled doc, that hasn't attracted half the controversy many predicted; mainly because it's made very clear from the beginning that he is simply offering an opinion, as someone who was raised a Catholic with a Jewish mother. That's a strange hybrid by any means, and that somehow makes his ponderings even more relevant. Sure, on occasion there is a definite air of arrogance about Maher; especially when he interviews those that would appear, on the surface at least, to have no idea what they were letting themselves in for. But maybe that serves to further illustrate that these people don't know enough about the religion that they devotedly follow.

First and foremost though, Maher is consistently funny, in only the way that an intelligent satirist can be. He caused controversy in 2001 when he said that the terrorists who attacked the twin towers were a lot of things, but not cowards. That comment is typical of a man that, whilst sometimes difficult to like, is never once less than watchable, as he always has something relevant and often smart to say. Hilarious and mordantly satirical, it won't cause you to question your faith - but it might make you laugh at it.

Review by Mike Sheridan