An intriguing look at the Mormon Church wrapped around an equally engaging whodunit.
Brigham City (2001)
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Reviews Counted:24
Fresh:17
Rotten:7
Average Rating:6.2/10
Theatrical Release:Apr 6, 2001 Limited
Synopsis: Mormon filmmaker Richard Dutcher's (GOD'S ARMY) variation on the small-town murder-mystery is a somber, bleak drama that deftly balances hopelessness and optimism to tell a deeply moving tale. Set... Mormon filmmaker Richard Dutcher's (GOD'S ARMY) variation on the small-town murder-mystery is a somber, bleak drama that deftly balances hopelessness and optimism to tell a deeply moving tale. Set in the innocent Mormon town of Brigham, Utah, the story focuses on Wes Clayton (Dutcher), a weary widower who is both the town's sheriff and religious leader. When Wes and his young deputy, Terry Woodruff (Matthew A. Brown), discover the mutilated body of a woman from out of town, Wes tries to keep the news under wraps. But when another body is discovered just days later, word gets out, throwing the previously quiet town into a state of disorder. Working together with retired deputy Stu (Wilford Brimley), secretary Peg (Carrie Morgan), and FBI agent Meredith (Tavya Patch), Wes searches for clues that will put an end to the incomprehensible nightmare. When the puzzle is eventually solved, Wes is forced to confront an evil he never thought would visit his town. Dutcher's second feature-length film confronts the issue of lost innocence versus gained wisdom in a strikingly honest and original way. What makes BRIGHAM CITY an even greater achievement is Dutcher's ability to use his potentially limiting trappings (religion, genre) to his advantage, resulting in a film that is heartbreakingly universal in soul and spirit. [More]
Starring: Richard Dutcher, Wilford Brimley, Matthew Brown, Carrie Morgan
Starring: Richard Dutcher, Wilford Brimley, Matthew Brown, Carrie Morgan, John Enos, Tayva Patch, Wendy Gardiner, Sterling Brimley, Janice Power, Frank Gerrish, Rick Macy
Director: Richard Dutcher
Director: Richard Dutcher
Screenwriter: Richard Dutcher
Producer: Richard Dutcher
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Reviews for Brigham City
...takes some inappropriate religious liberties, but still manages to be downright creepy and suspenseful.
An important spiritual statement--while at the same time proving that a movie can be dramatic without being profane, thought- provoking without being graphic, and moving without the typical Hollywood shock techniques.
Moviegoers of any (or no) religious persuasion can share in the simple satisfaction of [Dutcher's] tense, well-spun murder mystery.
I guess the big surprise for me was in how well the murder mystery was crafted and so smoothly intertwined with the film's religious trappings.
More insightful, more impacting and more emotionally charged than God's Army.
The murder-mystery plot is compelling, though it only narrowly avoids being overshadowed by the religious overtones.
Dutcher the director gets good performances from his largely local cast, which includes Dutcher the actor, who makes a very sympathetic lead.
A story of religious pride and spiritual negligence that begs closer analysis.
This involving, nicely crafted whodunit achieves the neat trick of remaining culturally and theologically true to its environment without being heavy-handed or preachy.
That the Sheriff investigating the case is a bishop in the Mormon Church is certainly unusual, if not unprecedented, in movies. That this low-budget independent film, with lots of religious overtones, happens to be a well-made film is also unusual.
Filled with actors who deliver such flawless performances that you have to keep reminding yourself that they're just acting.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 78% 78% | The Hangover |
| 49% 49% | Taking Woodstock |
| 26% 26% | The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard |
| 47% 47% | The Girl From Monaco |
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