Conversations with God

Starring: Henry Czerny, Vilma Silva, T. Bruce Page

Director: Stephen Deutsch

Category: I

The books are a series of spiritual best-sellers by American Neale Donald Walsch, but Conversations With God the film - chronicling the author's journey from jobless, homeless, aimless drifter to Almighty-channeling millionaire - is more likely to inspire a quick exit from the cinema.

Produced by a company called Spiritual Cinema Circle, this religious-themed crock seems to be a product of earnest Red State voters bent on countering Hollywood's corrupting, immoral entertainment. Unfortunately, the low-budget result is a dull and lifeless parable. Trying not to be preachy, the film never uses Jesus' name, but its Judaeo-Christian underpinning is never in doubt. Its sermons are couched in Hallmark-isms and theistic cornball that combines Oprah with Anthony Robbins.

As if anticipating hostile reviews, the film begins with Walsch (played by Henry Czerny with a bad beard) speaking to a crowd of admirers. They gush about the book changing their lives. Then, someone suggests that Walsch is a hypocrite, vaguely accusing him of failed relationships. Walsch admits he's a 'fallible messenger', but asks that people not 'disqualify or marginalise the message'. His faults are never mentioned again, although the implication is that he was a womaniser.