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God Said, Ha! Reviews
Outstanding. Deserves every award its won and more.
I was never familiar with Julia Sweeney in any way. I've never watched any of her Saturday Night Live stuff, any of her other films, and none of her stand-up routines. I picked this film up on VHS out of curiosity and I'm glad that I did because I sure got a hell of a surprise out of it. The film is basically a stand up routine by Julia Sweeney on a single set where she talks about events of her life starting with a divorce from her husband a few years earlier. Hoping she would begin living a great single life as she dreamed, her world was suddenly turned upside down when her brother, Michael was diagnosed with cancer. After she moved him into her home, her parents soon moved in with her to help care for Michael and things begin to get really crazy for Julia ranging from small things like her parents bothering over small things, having to change the way she speaks to her parents, random events that happen to her, to major things regarding Michael and her own health problems that develop. With all these things that happen, she still finds darkly humorous elements to all these problems to cope with all the despair and heartbreak that occurs, but also talking about the good times and the funny times. It's basically all about finding humor in life, even during its darkest and most challenging days. It's about life, death, love, heartbreak, humor, and so much more in a way that never feels sappy or pretentious, but honest, sweet, and darkly funny. While a number of people don't like God Said, "Ha!" because it's basically a recording of Juila Sweeney giving a stand up routine on a single set, rather than having a moving plot, shall we say, I found myself absorbed and engaged just listening to her talk about all her stories, whether they were small, everyday things, or the challenging parts, I was never once bored simply listening. It made me laugh, it made me choke up, and I loved every story she told because she did so with such energy and life. She also managed to find an effective balance of humor and heartbreak, which is something many comedies struggle to do, but she also delivered and honest and sincere film that felt very real with her life stories. God Said, "Ha!" is one of the best film-watching surprises I've ever had, as well as being one of the best comedies I've ever seen. It's deceptively simple with its obviously low budget and single set for which she tells her stories, but her stories are what make it a more complex, engaging, and absorbing film that is brutally honest about life, while also finding the humor in the complexities of life. I loved every minute of it and it delivers in ways I can only wish most other dramedies could.
Quentin Tarantino executive produced this film version of Julia Sweeney's one woman show. Julia Sweeney recounts taking care of her brother during his battle with lymph cancer, having her parents move in, and her own battle with cervical cancer. The performance runs the gambit between absolute hilarity and the deeply touching. I highly recommend this movie. Best Quotes: "...I decided to do something a little unhealthy and dangerous. And for me, that meant I was gonna smoke myself a cigarette and buy the new book by the Pope." "I love my shunt!"
I've never had to deal with anything like this, but I cried anyway.
I hate to say this about someone's deeply felt experiences---but this was horribly boring and Julia Sweeney's voice was beyond annoying to me as were her mannerisms. This is one of the few films that I actually had to shut off before it was over....in fact, before being half-way through. Awful, awful, awful. (Sigh) Live and learn.
Interesting concept with Julia Sweeney discussing cancer in the guise of a stand up routine...but it just doesn't work.
I recommend this movie to anyone who likes to laugh, but especially to oncology nurses. This movie is similar to Wit with Emma Thompson, because Wit is also the first-person narrative of a woman with cancer. However, Wit is dark; God said, Ha! is hilarious.
It's kind of a weird experience, because one minute you're laughing at her humorous take on her own life... and the next, you're feeling sympathy for the tragedy that she's been through. Really interesting stuff here. It's pretty engaging from beginning to end, and Sweeney serves as a good speaker through it all; I was expecting this to be more of a documentary (which, I guess, it sort of is), but I ended up really enjoying the one-woman-show format. It's heart-breaking and hilarious, all at the same time; which is something that few films have been able to accomplish.
Julia Sweeney delivers an extended monologue that's so exquisitely written and so emotionally touching that she manages the near-impossible task of captivating the audience for 85 minutes.
Julia Sweeney is beautiful and hilarious. I imagine the David Sedaris crowd would dig it. This film (basically a filmed one-woman show) has that same sort of humor/pathos mix.
This one-woman stage show is not laugh-out-loud funny (her brother, then she, both develop cancer), but very bittersweet and moving.
I watched this because I had 3 people in my family diagnosed with cancer, two of them lost there lives too it. This movie honestly though hardly even talks about it. It merely uses these people being diagnosed to tell a bunch of mini stories that happend during the 9months her parents and family lived with her again. It's hardly funny. If I wanted to see something like this I would watch a stand up comedy night, not rent a movie. It's one woman, standing in one room, telling a boring and non-funny story for a long time. It's not good at all.
Drama monologue. If you are expecting comedy, you'll be disappointed. But it is very good, especially if you are dealing with similar issues yourself.
beautiful movie to watch. Julia Sweeney really has a talent and a way of expressing herself that absorbs you into her story ...laugh, cry, reflect, great movie ...
Wow. I laughed I cried. Miss Sweeny what can I say - you spoke to me and I heard you. Thank you for sharing this part of your life.
[b][i]Tommy[/i][/b] Starring: Oliver Reed, Ann-Margret, Roger Daltrey, Elton John, Eric Clapton, John Entwistle, Keith Moon, Paul Nicholas, Jack Nicholson, Pete Townsend, and Tina Turner. Written and Directed by Ken Russell. Rated [b]PG[/b] (for some violence, disturbing images, language and drug/sexual content). Running time approximately 1 hour 51 minutes. [center][img]http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h159/NuBz86/tommy.jpg[/img] [i]Holy skin pokey holes, Batman![/i] [/center] [i]Tommy[/i] is certainly the product of Ken Russell. Much like [i]Pink Floyd's The Wall[/i], here is a film that, while it does have a semi-cohesive story, is mostly about visual and acoustic delight. It's a wonder to behold, and I ador3ed it, even if there were some major problems with pacing and an ending that left me a bit cold. It's one of the better Russell films I've seen, but not one of his best. [b]***1/2 (out of ****) B+[/b] [i][b]Dancing at the Blue Iguana[/b][/i] Starring: Charlotte Ayana, Daryl Hannah, Sheila Kelley, Elias Koteas, Sandra Oh, and Jennifer Tilly. Directed by Michael Radford. Written by Michael Radford and David Linter. Rated [b]R[/b] ( for pervasive sexual content/nudity, language, some drug content and brief violence). Running time approximately 2 hours 3 minutes. [center][img]http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h159/NuBz86/dancingblueiguana.jpg[/img] [i]...the only naked boob-less pic I could find. Cheers![/i] [/center] My friend Kate absolutely hates Michael Radford's [i]Dancing at the Blue Iguana[/i], and I'm actually not sure why. It's a very good, very character-rich film. All that nudity and drug use is not gratuitous, as it was in the less rich but more entertaining and infamous flop [i]Showgirls[/i]. This of this as [i]Showgirls[/i] with less glitz and more darkness. I liked it quite much. [b]***1/2 (out of ****) B+[/b] [i][b]God Said, "Ha!"[/b][/i] Starring Julia Sweeney. Written and Directed by Julia Sweeney. Rated [b]PG-13[/b] (for thematic elements and some drug references). Running time appoximately 1 hour 25 minutes. [center][img]http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h159/NuBz86/godsaidha.jpg[/img] [i]"Let's have noodles with the red topping!"[/i] [/center] Julie Sweeney never really did it for me as an actress. I only really remember her from SNL reruns and her small part in [i]Pulp Fiction[/i], and she didn't do it for me. Her film [i]God Said, "Ha!"[/i], though, is an absolute delight of hilarity and emotional insight. She exposes her own life with a humor and delicacy most other stand-up comics would shy away from. I loved it. [b]***1/2 (out of ****) B+[/b] [i][b]Lord of War[/b][/i] Starring: Nicolas Cage, Ethan Hawke, Jard Leto, Bridget Moynahan, and Ian Holm. Written and Directed by Andrew Niccol. Rated [b]R[/b] (for strong violence, drug use, language and sexuality). Running time approximately 2 hours 2 minutes. [center][img]http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h159/NuBz86/lordofwar.jpg[/img] [i]Oh, Nic...how I adore thee.[/i] [/center] Andrew Niccol's [i]Lord of War[/i] could really have been great, but I felt that much of what transpired throughout the film's "downtime" was unnecessary and, in some cases, a bit silly and contrived. I will say, though, that the performances are glorious, the dialogue pops and there are a few scenes that will leave you clutching your chest in excitement. [b]***1/2 (out of ****) B+[/b] [b][i]Kiss the Girls[/i][/b] Starring: Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Cary Elwes, Alex McArthur, Tony Goldwyn, Jay O. Sanders, Bill Nunn, Brian Cox, and Jeremy Piven. Directed by Gary Fleder. Written by David Klass. Rated [b]R[/b] (for terror, violence and language). Running time approximtely 1 hour 57 minutes. [center][img]http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h159/NuBz86/kiss-the-girls-2.jpg[/img] [i]Ashley Juddicizin' yo ass![/i] [/center] There should be an official separate genre for Ashley Judd thrillers, I swear. [i]Kiss the Girls[/i], a thriller with Ashley Judd (ha!), is effective, tense and frightening even though it's a bit ridiculous. It's one of those "twist" thrillers, and the twist on this one is pretty far-fetched, but I liked it a lot. Morgan Freeman's such a great performer. [b]***1/2 (out of ****) B+[/b]