Starring Bill Murray’s younger brother, Joel, preposterous black comedy God Bless America is a B movie with high production values. In other words, however nice it looks, it is not a film to be taken seriously.
As earth-shatteringly funny as it is sick, the absurdity of this movie is that it seems to condone deadly violence against the idiot socialites and repellent chavs/rednecks on TV who help influence the future direction of society.
If taken seriously, this is exactly the sentiment we don’t need at the moment. But taken with a huge pinch of salt, this is a hilariously gratifying movie to watch if you are sick of aspects of our post-MTV civilisation. Whether you can get through to the end of the film without your morals totally insulted is another thing.
Wonderful Cinema strongly recommends you do not ruin the impact the director meticulously planned for viewers by watching trailers or reading spoilers. But for those of you who cannot resist…
You can find more information on this American film on Wikipedia, IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes.
Production Details
Title: God Bless America
Director: Bobcat Goldthwait
Year/Country: 2011, USA
Stars: Joel Murray, Tara Lynne Barr, Mackenzie Brooke Smith, Melinda Page Hamilton (click here for full cast)
Screenplay: Bobcat Goldthwait
Cinematography: Bradley Stonesifer
Editing: Jason Stewart
Score: Matt Kollar
Language: English
Wonderful Cinema 
Obvious points. However, the movie’s still entertaining. Nice review.
Thanks, Dan!
I found this movie to be a surprisingly funny, breath of fresh air when I saw it. The satire/ black comedy fusion is done brilliantly. Snappy review!
Thank you, kind sir!
Another new one to me, Shimky. You are really racking them up.
Back on top form indeed!
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks, Pete. Trying to make up for lost time!
Good work!
Hi Shimky. I’m glad to see you’re back to updating this site. I found you through letterboxd, which you seem to have left for good? Anyway, I’ve been following your site since I realized that your taste is quite similar to mine, and you listed a couple of movies that i haven’t watched, but I’m, slowly catching up 🙂
Figured I’d return the favor, although you might have already seen it; Its called ‘Super’ and i’d say its a cross between this movie and ‘Kickass’, except its better than both of them, if you ask me 🙂 Anyway, i’m looking forward to seeing if you’ll watch it and if it’ll make the site!
Keep up the good work,
Chuck
Ah, Super (2010) with the wonderful Ellen Page – I loved it!
Yes, you’re right, Chuck, I’ve stopped updating letterboxd. I found that trying to update multiple sites was just putting me off writing reviews, so I’m trying a much leaner approach now and it’s working for me.
I remember this movies previews and my mom covering my eyes. Now that I’m old enough, I think I’ll go and watch it. Thanks for the review. I’m sure I’ll be reading many more of your movie reviews. I look forward to a review of Lady Bird. I have mixed feelings about the movie and am looking forward to a different opinion.
Ooh, I’ve never heard of it and I love Saoirse Ronan. I’ll let you know what I think once I’ve seen it!
I tried watching it when it first came out, and I found it to be pretty funny. I just could not get past the weird relationship between the main character and the little girl. This humor is very, very dark, and normally this is something I enjoy. I tried giving it a second chance a few weeks back and I just could not enjoy this movie at all (probably given that mass shootings are a huge problem in the US and very depressing). Maybe when we solve our gun problem, I can start appreciating this very violent, dark humor again. Right now it hits way too close to home.
Yes, I can totally understand that, Marissa. I was in two minds about posting the review and felt pretty guilty in a way. I was worried I would upset people. But I posted anyway. Why? I don’t really know. Because we won’t let the bastards win? Not really. I just think the fiction has to keep coming. And people can choose if and when they see it. It is a very fine line and for some people I am sure I crossed it.