Salvation Boulevard 2011

Jake Coyle, Associated Press: Despite the talents of Greg Kinnear, Pierce Brosnan, Marisa Tomei, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, Ciaran Hinds, Yul Vazquez and Jim Gaffigan, "Salvation Boulevard" is far less than the sum of its fine, character-actor parts. Read more

A.O. Scott, New York Times: There is the inkling of a strong, interesting idea here ... but "Salvation Boulevard" is itself too loosely tethered to the actual world to make the point with the necessary vigor or acuity. Read more

Keith Uhlich, Time Out: Only Tomei, as an ineffectual campus security guard and fellow Deadhead, makes a lasting impression. Read more

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: The movie transforms a dim idea -- "Elmer Gantry" lite -- into comedy that's dead in the water and as dull as it is broad. Read more

Tom Keogh, Seattle Times: [An] enjoyable if simplistic black comedy loosely based on a novel by Larry Beinhart. Read more

Noel Murray, AV Club: A misfire of the first order, starting with the way writer-director Ratliff and co-writer Doug Max Stone turn what could've been a provocative, gripping story into an over-the-top yukfest. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: Salvation Boulevard has a terrific cast and not much else. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: Read more

John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter: Silly cat-and-mouse comedy doesn't make much of its evangelist-mocking premise. Read more

Ian Buckwalter, NPR: Without the humor, the stereotypes that define these characters aren't satirical; they're just mean-spirited and dull. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: Starts out on the right path, but loses its way early on. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: A reasonably funny religious satire that takes potshots at easy targets but is quite watchable due to the participation of two Oscar winners and two Oscar nominees. Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: It's a stupid farrago of aborted ideas, misguided actors, lame direction, submental writing and follow-the-dots plotting that never comes anywhere within a 10-mile radius of what I used to call coherent filmmaking. Read more

Tirdad Derakhshani, Philadelphia Inquirer: It's quite funny at times and has some good performances. But it's so predictable it has no bite, either as social satire or as slapstick comedy. Read more

Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle: It's a blunderbuss satire that criminally wastes a talented cast. Read more

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: In truckin' past so many fruitful oases, "Salvation Boulevard" is a bumpy road. Read more

Jordan Riefe, TheWrap: Read more

Andrew Barker, Variety: Careless and bedraggled in its storytelling and never aiming its sights beyond the most obvious targets. Read more

Mark Holcomb, Village Voice: Salvation Boulevard isn't groundbreaking or even consistently funny, but it is mildly inventive and the absurdities of its characters are tender and recognizably human. Best of all, we're encouraged to laugh with them rather than at them. Read more