DEAR GOD

US, 1996, 112 minutes, Colour.
Greg Kinnear, Laurie Metcalfe, Maria Pitello, Tom Conway, Hector Elizondo, Jon Seda, Roscoe Lee Browne, Anna Maria Horsford, Kathleen Marshall, Donald Logue, Sam Mc Murray, Nancy Marchand, Larry Miller, Rue Mc Lanahan, Garry Marshall.
Directed by Garry Marshall.

Dear God is described by some commentators as an uplifting film. For many, more sophisticated audiences, uplifting seems to be something of a turnoff.

This film is wholesome, light, with a message about doing good – the principle of the later film, Pay It Forward.

Many audiences will find the story and characterisation rather simplistic, made for light and easy laughs. However, for the broadest audience, it actually offers a message about religion, God, doing good for others.

Greg Kinnear, after his appearance in Sabrina, is the conman who is sentenced to work in the post office. He is placed by the supervisor, Hector Elizondo, in the dead letter office where he meets a strange and rather motley crew. Unrepentant, he notices in a letter to the Dear God department a request for money from a mother and son in a rundown apartment. He accidentally sends money – which leads then to a whole lot of do-gooding by himself, the group and an increasing number of post office officials.

The good deeds draw the attention of the media and this leads to a court case with a speech in court by the conman which shows that he has had a genuine change of heart – and there will be a whole lot of do-gooding from then on.

Laurie Metcalfe, who appeared in Roseanne, is rather over the top as a lawyer who has suffered a nervous breakdown. Garry Marshall himself appears as the Postmaster General. Marshall is best known for his very successful films, Pretty Woman and The Runaway Bride.

1.An entertaining comedy? The target audience? Unsophisticated? American? Worldwide?

2.The Los Angeles settings, the detail of the city, the post office, the courts? The ordinary apartments, the racetrack? Churches? The musical score?

3.The title, expectations, the letters in the dead letter office?

4.The introduction to Tom, his con tricks, the spiels, getting the money, at the railway stations, at the Christmas procession, the generosity of the nun, the encounter with the Greek policeman? His arrest?

5.In court, his speeches, misjudging the situation, the judge and his reactions, expectations – and his being forced to get a job?

6.His cousin, the post office, getting the job? His visits to his mother, her being blind, the background of his father disappearing, golf? The young man helping the mother? Her touching his face? The man saved from suicide – and introducing him to his mother?

7.Vidov, the guide in the post office? The post office staff? Behind the yellow line? The workings of the post office, the dead letter room and its situation, the various bins and explanations?

8.Vidov and his ability to disappear? Handsome and his lack of English, misunderstandings, wanting to be an actor? The woman deciphering the difficult writing? Lucille and her knitting, older? Idris and his age, close to pension? Dooley, his breakdown, his knowledge of all the addresses and the details of Los Angeles? Rebecca, her law career, her breakdown? The work, the breaks?

9.Gloria, with her son, moving from New Jersey? Work at the diner? Seeing Tom, the explanations, his being with Webster and the warning? Tom’s return to the diner, everybody knowing? Gloria and her honesty and directness? The outings? Her son, Tom teaching him the con trick with the mini-golf, helping with his homework? Falling in love with Gloria?

10.Webster, the discussions, Tom and his gambling, the debts? The encounter with Junior? Tom’s being bashed?

11.Reading the letter to God, sending the letter, enclosing his pay by accident, chasing the parcel through the system and missing? Going to the apartments, the money and his trying to retrieve it, the woman and her speech, the burly son and his confrontations? Rebecca present and admiring Tom? The various other Dear God letters, going to the beach after finding the situation for the churches, saving the suicide man, his despair and reasons for killing himself? His being set up with Tom’s mother? The old-age home and the twins running it, bringing the pets? The girl and her mother and the riding of the horse, going to the ponies and the pet park – and Tom pretending to be the police? At the racecourse and the genuine ride?

12.The effect on the co-workers, their joining in, Tom in charge, pocketing the money – but bringing it back? His going to the church – and the priest whose sermon he interrupted, the discussions about God and Providence?

13.The television reports, the Postmaster General and his outburst?

14.The special case, the vagrant man wanting a trumpet, Idris writing the document, his being arrested and jailed?

15.The group and their involvement, in the work, the visits? Dooley and his knowledge, preparing the strategies? Their backing down after Idris was arrested? Tom’s reaction?

16.His room being trashed, the group fixing it up, the news of Junior’s death, Webster’s visit?

17.Tom’s confession, his arrest?

18.The trial, the attitude of the judge, the histrionics of the prosecutor, Rebecca and the idiosyncrasies and oddness of her defence, especially the witness of the dogs? Tom’s speeches? The crowds, the arrival of the Postmaster General?

19.The finale with Dooley, the dog that he bit – and everybody happy?

20.The themes of religion in the court discussions, God, miracles, faith, becoming God-like, doing good? Instincts and good choices?