MERCY STREETS
US, 2000, 106 minutes, Colour.
Eric Roberts, David A.R. White, Cynthia Watros, Shiek Mahmud- Bey, Stacy Keach, Robert La Sardo.
Directed by Jon Gunn.
Mercy Streets is a crime thriller with a difference. The crime thriller is rather conventional – but this is a Christian film, made by committed Christians, wanting to reach the target audience of American audiences who like thrillers but who want some kind of values, even explicit religious language.
The character played by Shiek Mahmud -Bey, a reformed crook-become-policeman, goes to church and talks about Jesus values, probably symbolises the kind of target audience the film intended.
Eric Roberts is a sinister criminal, involved in fraud, murder, counterfeit money. It is the kind of role he can do in his sleep. Comedian David A.R. White plays identical twins, one an Episcopal deacon about to be ordained, the other a criminal released from prison, working for Eric Roberts. The plots get them to change roles, the deacon having to work for Roberts in order to save his brother, the brother resenting his twin because he felt that he had abandoned him when they were abducted when they were very young.
There is a romance, the earnest deacon in love with an artist but clashing with her about her sense of career. When his twin takes over, he seems to warm to the girl, but then is aggressively violent towards her.
The film shows something of a conversion for the criminal brother, especially when he encounters a sympathetic priest, Stacy Keach in a cameo role.
The film relies on the conventions of crime thrillers, mistaken identities, drama and romance. Most audiences will find it fairly conventional – but it would appeal to those who want Christian-oriented films to take advantage of the genres and conventions that people enjoy.
1. The impact of the film? As a crime thriller? As a conversion story?
2. The title, the streets of the city? The contrast between the church, ordinary life in the town with the world of criminals, prisons, meeting-places, counterfeit warehouses? The musical score?
3. The plausibility of the plot? The identical twins? Their growing up? The incident when they were fourteen, John presumed dead, Jeremiah blaming himself for his brother’s death, not trying to help him? Jeremiah going on to Episcopal ordination? John and his working for Rome, in prison, getting out?
4. John’s story, prison, Rome meeting him, his wanting to get away? T.J. and the pressure? The Japanese and his assistant? The plan for the counterfeit money? John and his skills – defrauding the man in the street with the trick about getting change? His trying to get away from Rome? Rome pursuing him, suggesting that he shoot him? His going to his brother’s church? His being mistaken for his brother? His cutting his hair, putting on the clerical dress? His behaviour, the interchange with Sam? The discussions with Tex? With the ministers? Going to the church, his being on the spot with the sermon, his preaching about money, the need to raise money? His change of heart, clashes with Tex? His abrupt behaviour with Sam?
5. Jeremiah’s story, his biblical lesson (and having an error in the generations in Matthew’s Gospel for Jesus, getting only twenty-eight when there are forty-two)? His small congregation? Sam and Tex? The preparation for ordination? His love for Sam, unwilling to go to Chicago with her? Her wanting to move on? His being taken by Rome, Rome discovering the truth, getting Jeremiah to take John’s place in the fraud? His having to raise the money, going to the bank? Desperate in the street, bashing the vendor? The effect on him?
6. Rome, conventional criminal, Eric Roberts’ style? His hold over the men, his using them? T.J? The Japanese and his assistant? The plan, its failure? The shooting?
7. The incident with Father Tom, John encountering him, the talk, talk about God?
8. Tex, his reform, his earnestness as a policeman? Thinking there was something wrong with the brother? Discovering the truth, the confrontation? Preaching to him?
9. The final confrontation? The two brothers? The shooting of Rome? The police? Jeremiah going to prison for his brother? The issue of the money? Jeremiah coming out of jail? Meeting Sam again – a future?
10. The impact of this kind of American Christian film-making, using popular genres?
