"What Would Jesus Buy?" is dubbed as "Presented by Morgan Spurlock," because Spurlock signed on as a producer, but don't expect the wit or daring of "Super Size Me." More like "Stupefy Me."
The comedic documentary, about a traveling choir of anti-consumerism activists, has enough humor to fill a five-minute skit on "Saturday Night Live," which isn't saying much considering "SNL" has been down for the last few years.
The message is honorable. Holiday consumerism has become an epidemic, with credit-happy shoppers overextending themselves to buy things for people who don't need the gifts yet are compelled to reciprocate by going into debt to give them equally needless trifles.
The Rev. Billy (Bill Talen) is a performance artist who leads the activist performance group the Church of Stop Shopping, a choir that goes around chastising businesses and consumers for greed and gluttony.
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A strutting, bellowing mockery of evangelical worship, Billy mimics televangelists in glitz and pomposity. He occasionally speaks in tongues and is partial to idiotic stunts in which he makes a public spectacle of himself until he gets escorted off the premises by security. He gets himself banned from Starbucks and leads his choir into ill-advised crusades at Wal-Mart, the Mall of America and Disneyland.
At first it's easy to respect Billy's brass and determination, but soon his routine becomes old and appears futile. He's apparently driven more by attention than results. A customer buying toothpaste and a gallon of milk at Wal-Mart may be amused by Billy's theatrics, but still needs the milk and toothpaste. Billy is simply trying to get arrested in order to look like a martyr.
Director Rob VanAlkemade can't seem to decide if his movie is about the dynamics of the group or its message, and in trying to cover both areas succeeds at neither. We never get a sense of how the organization sustains itself, who these people are, or most importantly, what they think is OK to buy.
If you're going to live by the word of the Church of Stop Shopping, a smart first step would be to avoid buying tickets to this film.
What Would Jesus Buy?
*1/2
• Rated: PG for thematic material and brief mild language.
• Director: Rob VanAlkemade.
• Family call: OK for kids.
• Running time: 90 minutes.
