Richard Dutcher with Zions Production has just recently directed an LDS box-office hit, States of Grace. Michael Medved praises the film as “an exceptionally skillful and superbly acted piece of work . . . A VERY MOVING FILM!” Jeff Vice excitedly shouts, “ONE OF THE TOP TEN FILMS OF THE YEAR!” Jeff Shannon of The Seattle Times writes, Every genre has a MILESTONE CLASSIC, and with States of Grace, contemporary CHRISTIAN DRAMA can finally claim one of its own.”

Once again, Richard Dutcher, spending just under a million dollars, crafts for the mainstream public a riveting story, stretching the boundaries of the stereotypical Mormon fanfare. He is a meticulous cinema weaver of Mormon spirituality, taunt emotion, and unsuspecting turns. Dutcher explores the complexity of individual characters, while not in the least bit afraid (at least what I detect) to strip away the sugar-coated, protective layers so obnoxious in most LDS multi-media. A typical Mormon flick might be as fluffy as the foam of a root beer float, but Richard’s stories dare me to ask scores of heart questions. Yet showing restraint, I will only pose a dozen or so.

The young LDS elders in Dutcher’s two films, States of Grace, and his previous movie, God’s Army, live wild adventures in the concrete jungles of L.A., which causes me to wonder what the missionaries assigned to southeastern Idaho or Utah think? Here in Ammon, Idaho, the men walk hum-drum along farm fields and dine atArctic Circle. In nearby Shelley, the men are celebrities at the annual spud fest, battling locals in fun tug-a-wars over a huge, mashed potato pit. Sorry about the lack of Hollywood glamour here in Mormon country. No beaches. No girls in bikinis. No drive by shootings with gang bangers. No unbelievable stories of baptisms in oceans. Just lots of warm, religious fuzzies. LDS concerts. Home evenings. Singles’ wards. And many kind LDS grandpas and grandmas. The biggest challenge for elders in southeastern
Idaho is igniting a new spark among the all too common familiarity. No wonder we normally get the missionaries from far off places. The noticeable social and racial change in the demographics of southeastern Idaho and Utah are the missionaries – a complete dissimilarity to California. (But I will say this about the movie—the people of Ammon, Idaho will like the discussion over Ammon in the Book of Mormon between the actors, “elder Banks” and Carl in the movie. Only “Carl” wouldn’t find many blacks in Ammon, Idaho except theChurch of
God bishop, some of the church family, and a few others.)

States of Grace swirl around two LDS elders—“Lozano”, a tattooed Hispanic, converted from a hard-core gang by an earlier Idaho missionary (Tubbs, I believe) as they lay all busted up in a hospital, and also, “Farrell”, a typical, loveable white boy from Midvale in the Salt Lake area. Three other characters enter the drama to make things distinct and colorful: a homeless, street preacher named Lewis who had disgraced himself because of his “weakness for women”; Holly, a young actress who had wretchedly fallen into some porn auditions to financially survive; and Carl, a big, tough, black gangster, living a life of vengeance through bloodshed.

 

In typical Dutcher fashion, the suspense takes place immediately, Carl and some of his homies run into the two Mormon boys on a street corner. Religious slurs tumble out – “John the Baptist white boy! Jesus freak!” Things really shutter, spin, and explode out of control when a car loaded with a neighboring gang screeches to a stop in the street. One guy starts unloading full clips of his semi-automatic into the crowd.

 

This event becomes the salvation of Lozano’s sense of worth in his mission. Missionary discouragement over unfulfilled expectations had him counting the last days for when he was heading home. In front of all his other missionary peers, he wistfully declared his post-mission adventure, “The day after Christmas, I am going to borrow my mother’s car; I am driving out into the desert for two weeks, Dixie Chicks and me . . . rent 42 movies, three for each day . . . stay up till 3:00 in the morning . . . kiss my girlfriend on the lips a 100 times a day, the rest of my life.”

Heart question number 1: Is it religious experience that sustains the heart of a young LDS elder on a mission?

Dutcher introduces the black, homeless man, Lewis, into the movie as a fun-loving, Pentecostal preacher standing on a sidewalk retaining ledge, proclaiming in a loud voice to all the pedestrians walking pass him: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, book of Genesis, chapter 1 verse 1 . . . verse 2, I can tell you all about it brothers and sisters, all about it . . . One Bible, two testaments, 58 books, 11 epistles, and then the glorious book of Revelation, the glorious book of Revelation!”

 

Things go bad for the fellow. The missionaries find him, terribly sick, lying on some cardboard near a trash dumpster. Farrell would rather leave the guy, but Lozano asks the famed, evangelical question, “What Would Jesus Do?” Like the good Samaritan, he directs his partner, “Grab the feet of this homeless preacher and give him a bed in our room.”

 

Lozano, Farell, and the neighborhood girl, Holly, end up helping get this guy back up on his feet to the point that when they later fall in moral crises, desperately in need of help, he is the one there for them. Dutcher later films the Pentecostal preacher praying for the LDS missionary, Farell, all torn up emotionally. A matter of fact, as a Baptist minister, I am praying for some of the young, vulnerable LDS missionaries, too. It’s just that I have never seen a Pentecostal preacher dress up in “elder clothes” complete with badge and actually read the Book of Mormon loudly in public places. Have you?

 

In one night time scene, while Lewis is sleeping in one of the missionary’s beds, Lozano is kneeling in repentant prayer. His buddy asks him what he is doing; and he shoots back, “Don’t die with any sins on your head!”

Heart question number 2: What if this does happen? God does demand perfect righteousness. And remember, every sin is an eternal offence because of the transgression against an eternal, holy God.

Heart question number 3: Are sins just mistakes?

Heart question number 4: Why do people sin?

Heart question number 5: Do sins (even just one) warrant an eternal death?

 

Carl, in thanks to Lozano for saving his life after the gangster shootout early in the movie, decided to take a Book of Mormon home for some bedtime reading. In fact, he stayed up till 2:30 in the morning. (I confess, I didn’t do that when I first read through the Book of Mormon). So when Carl and the missionaries got together again to discuss his reading, Lozano lightheartedly joked about having to wade through all the THEEs and THOUs, which Farell than piped up with a characteristic-LDS question, “How did it make you feel?” For a minute, I thought I was watching one of those therapeutic talk shows.

 

Heart question number 6: I am not trying to be belligerent, but is this the question asked often of people after they read the Book of Mormon? I don’t think I have ever asked that of someone in conversation after they read through a book in the Bible. It is usually, What do you think?

 

Interestingly, Dutcher frames these words for Carl’s response to the missionaries. “You need to get baptized to take away your sins to go to heaven . . . I saw that in your Bible, too. I have never been baptized. Could you do it for me?”

 

Heart question number 7: Out of the 31,173 verses in the Bible, how many verses would imply that you need to get baptized to take away your sins to go to heaven?

Carl does have one final question before getting baptized, “Can I dance?” Dance?! What a question. Of course, he can dance. Is there any religion in the country that sponsors more dances than the LDS? That night, Carl ends up at a Hawaiian theme, LDS dance party where all the guys can enjoy the kisses of aloha girls and gawk at the Hula dancers. Hey, it is all enough to make him big fella feel right at home.

 

The movie soon becomes turbulent again. While Carl is joining the LDS church, circled by LDS elders on a Sunday morning, giving him the Holy Spirit, his younger brother, Todd, is surrounded by gangsters in a back alley. The actions are devastating.

Heart question number 8: Where is the authorization in Scripture that young LDS elders can usurp the unique position of the Melchizedek High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, and baptize other people with the Holy Spirit (uniting them with the Second Person of the Triune God)?

One night, Holly tearfully confesses (seven and a half minutes of monologue) to Farell about her sordid past and her parents’ complete denial of her existence. She notes about her parents, “I call every Sunday when I know they are at church . . . and tell them that I love them. I have said I am sorry a million times. They haven’t talked to me for two years. It is the hardest around the holidays. They all think I am a big whore.” Farell reassures Holly of God’s love. “It only matters what God thinks. You can’t do any thing that would make Him stop loving you.” But tragically, he ends up later in the movie, succumbing to sexual sin with her, ending his pure, chaste commitment to celibacy required of all two-year missions. Is this a lesson that intimate, religious experience with the opposite sex makes one vulnerable to intimate, erotic experience?

 

Uh, oh, things are really bad. Farell breaks down emotionally. The movie makes it clear why. The guy has a plaque on his dresser, “Return with Honor.” He has blown it. All he can think about is his father’s words, “I would rather you come back in a casket than in dishonor.” Therefore, hoping to cowardly escape, he tries to end his life.

Heart question number 8– How many young missionaries have committed sexual immorality on their missions?

Heart question number 9 – How many young missionaries have committed suicide?

 

This is a topic where I am still raw inside. Exactly a year ago, my friend committed suicide here in Idaho Falls. He shot himself. I just ache all over again thinking about it. The only thing that soothes my heart is looking to Christ.

 

Back to the movie, Holly is the one who shakes Farell from his tormented stupor. She returns her earlier gift to him, a cross necklace, and tenderly shares, “Jesus forgives. There is nothing that He won’t forgive. He loves you just as much as when you were a baby. I don’t know much. But I know that is true. You don’t have to die for your sins. Somebody already did that.”

Heart question number 10 – What do you think about utilizing cross iconography?

Heart question number 11 – More importantly, why did Jesus die for you?

Heart question number 12 – Did Farell in the movie weep and mourn over his immorality because of apparent loss of LDS status or because of the suffering this caused the Saviour? There is a difference between the repentance of King Saul and King David in the Old Testament.

 

In conclusion, Carl, Lozano, Holly, Farell, and Lewis all finish on their knees before the baby Jesus at an outside live nativity sponsored by the Lutherans. Just in time, Christmas is coming.

 

My final thoughts on the movie – Grandma Mae won the blue ribbon for the best quote: “A man is never taller than when he is on his knees.” But the widowed preacher’s wife came close in second place with this comment about her deceased husband, “He was a good Baptist.”

Heart question number 13 – What does it take to make a good Baptist?

I couldn’t resist this last question.