Plot
When a girl attending a Christian high school becomes pregnant, she finds herself ostracized and demonized, as all of her former friends turn on her.
Release Year: 2004
Rating: 6.9/10 (27,351 voted)
Critic's Score: 62/100
Director:
Brian Dannelly
Stars: Jena Malone, Mandy Moore, Macaulay Culkin
Storyline Mary is a good Christian girl who goes to a good Christian high school where she has good Christian friends, mainly Hilary Faye, and a perfect Christian boyfriend, Dean. Her life seems perfect, until the day that she finds out that Dean may be gay. After "seeing" a vision of Jesus in a pool, she does everything in her power to help him turn straight, including offering up her virginity. But none of it helps because Dean's caught and sent to a "degayification" center and Mary ends up pregnant. It's during her time of need that she becomes real friends with the school's set of "misfits," including Cassandra, the school's only Jewish girl; Roland, Hilary Faye's wheelchair-bound brother, and Patrick, the skateboarder son of the school's principal, Pastor Skip; whilst Hilary Faye turns her into a social outcast.
Writers: Brian Dannelly, Michael Urban
Cast: Jena Malone
-
Mary
Mandy Moore
-
Hilary Faye
Macaulay Culkin
-
Roland
Patrick Fugit
-
Patrick
Heather Matarazzo
-
Tia
Eva Amurri Martino
-
Cassandra
Chad Faust
-
Dean
Elizabeth Thai
-
Veronica
Martin Donovan
-
Pastor Skip
Mary-Louise Parker
-
Lillian
Kett Turton
-
Mitch
Julia Arkos
-
PE Coach
Donna White
-
Trudy Mason
James Caldwell
-
Hairdresser
Nicki Clyne
-
Guitar Player
Filming Locations: Clayton Heights Secondary, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Box Office Details
Budget: $5,000,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: $459,386
(USA)
(30 May 2004)
(20 Screens)
Gross: $10,156,933
(Worldwide)
(9 April 2006)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
According to producer Sandy Stern, the film had gone through "about 200 rewrites". The original script had Hilary Faye, played by Mandy Moore, shooting up the school.
Goofs:
Continuity:
When Tia is reaching for the receipt under Hilary Faye's seat her purse changes position from shot to shot.
Quotes:
[first lines]
Mary:
[voice over]
I've been born again my whole life... accepting Jesus.
User Review
From a Middle-of-the-Road Guy
Rating:
A little background on myself for some perspective: I'm a middle-aged
Roman Catholic single father of three, who attends church regularly (a
few times per month) and generally leans a bit toward the right. I'm
certainly not fanatical, but am somewhat spiritual. And just to clear
up any misconception, Catholicism is, in fact, a Christian religion.
My teenaged son and I watched this movie together, and I don't know his
impression specifically, but he did watch the entire movie, which is
generally an indication he likes it. I enjoyed the movie as well, and
did not find it to be in the least bit mean-spirited or anti-Christian.
The main character never denounces God, but merely changes her
perspective to one that's a bit less fanatical. The fact is, some
people do go to extremes in their religious zeal (anyone familiar with
9/11), and simply depicting such a character in a movie hardly makes it
anti-Christian. I think this movie represented a very accurate
cross-section of religious attitudes in our society. If you are a
religious zealot, or anti-religion zealot, you probably won't enjoy it
because it doesn't lean in favor of either extreme. All others may find
it worth the price of the rental.
And just to address some of the other reviewer comments - not wanting
to regulate morality does not make one immoral, and if you think your
sexual preference is a choice, think back to the time you CHOSE to be
heterosexual.
Come now, you surely must remember a significant decision like that
(and no, I'm not gay).
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