I wasn’t a big fan of Jesus is Magic. In fact, it managed to do what I never would’ve thought possible: by the end of it, I was kind of sick of Sarah Silverman and wanted her to go away.
If you want to read somebody who can write say what I’m thinking, Stephanie Zacharek’s review once again lays it all out, Mouth of Sauron-style. I’d add that it wasn’t just the musical numbers that were unnecessary and went on too long, but the routine itself. At the time I saw the movie, I’d just seen Silverman do a short set at a benefit concert in the city, so I’d already heard all her material.
Obviously, that’s not her fault — that’s what comedians do. And her delivery is perfect, which is actually part of the problem. When she’s so good at making her routine come across as spontaneous, it ruins it when you realize she’s just performing well-rehearsed material.
And that’s why I’m really looking forward to her Comedy Central series, which starts in February. She’s just brilliant in small doses, and a half-hour time limit will just about do it. And most of the material’s got to be new every week, so there’s a bonus.
Plus, I’ve watched the intro about 12 times now and it still cracks me up: