Dear God

1996

Dear God (1996)

TOMATOMETER

12%
0%

Critic Consensus: No consensus yet.

AUDIENCE SCORE

27%

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Movie Info

Con artist Tom Turner (Greg Kinnear) is caught red-handed and sentenced by a compassionate judge to get and keep an honest job for an entire year. He is also ordered to abstain from conning or scams of any kind. If he succeeds, the judge will erase his criminal record. With that promise ringing in his ears, Turner gets a job working in the Dead Letter division of a local post office. There he finds himself force to figure out what to do with letters addressed to a variety of mythical figures including Superman, Elvis and God. Though post office rules strictly forbid it, Tom accidentally reads a heartrending letter written to God. Touched by its sincerity, Tom decides that no one will be harmed if he responds to it. Though he only meant to send the needful writer a little costume jewelry and an upbeat letter, he accidentally sends her his entire paycheck. His attempts to get the money back fail and when his loopy co-workers find out what a positive effect his accidental gesture had on the poor woman's life, they encourage him to keep on playing "God" and respond to more letters. His motives for doing so are not entirely altruistic, but he continues helping people until he is once again caught and sent to court for yet another trial.
  • Rating:
    PG (adult situations)
  • Genre:
    Comedy
  • Directed By:
    Garry Marshall
  • Written By:
    Warren Leight, Ed Kaplan
  • In Theaters:
     wide
  • On Disc/Streaming:
  • Runtime:
  • Studio:
    Paramount

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Cast

Greg Kinnear
as Tom Turner
Laurie Metcalf
as Rebecca Frazen
Maria Pitillo
as Gloria McKinney
Tim Conway
as Herman Dooly
Roscoe Lee Browne
as Idris Abraham
Jon Seda
as Handsome
Anna Maria Horsford
as Lucille
Hector Elizondo
as Vladek Vidov
Kathleen Marshall
as Whispering Wendy
Isadora O'Boto
as Hot Mary
Felix A. Pire
as Ramon
Donal Logue
as Webster
Sam McMurray
as Federal Prosecutor
Nancy Marchand
as Judge Kits Van Heynigan
Garry Marshall
as Preston Sweeney
Larry Miller
as State Judge
Rue McClanahan
as Mom Turner
David Hasselhoff
as Himself (uncredited)
Jack Sheldon
as Homeless Trumpeter
Coolio
as Gerard
Toby Huss
as Doubting Thomas Minister
Stephanie Niznik
as Emanda Maine
John Pinette
as Junior
Seth Mumy
as Joey McKinney
Greg Lewis
as Greek Bailiff
Sunny Hawks
as Greek Daughter
Timi Prulhiere
as Southern Tourist
Valerie Wildman
as Southern Tourist
Jennifer Perkins
as Information Booth Clerk
Rick Hill
as Parade Father
Barbara Marshall
as Sister Charlotte
Jane Morris
as Sarah Alcott
Tom Hines
as Theo
Jeff Michalski
as Otis
Shannon Wilcox
as Madame Zema
Joshua Iscovich
as Joey's Friend
Jill Lover
as Regular Customer
Seron Bellio
as Regular Customer
Leigh Molloy
as Regular Customer
Tim Stack
as Cousin Guy The Postal Cop
William Wolff
as Doug Diamond
Sarina L. Ranftl
as Postal Window Clerk
Monica Campbell
as Postal Window Clerk
Sam Lima
as Postal Customer
Ellery King
as Postal Customer
Diane Frazen
as Postal Customer
Jennifer Peterson
as Postal Signer
Joy Rosenthal
as Rich Postal Customer
Adrienne Wilde
as Postal Cashier
Bud Markowitz
as Juggling Biker
Bonnie Aarons
as Prophet Woman
Steve Tisch
as Neighbor with Dog
Mariana Morgan
as Neighbor with Dog
Jack Klugman
as Jemi
Marvin Braverman
as Petting Zoo Man
Ellen Cleghorne
as Marguerite
Curtis Williams Jr.
as Marguerite's Son
Deborah Benson-Wald
as Juanita
Odette Annable
as Angela
Marcus Toji
as Petting Zoo Kid
Yvonne Pollack
as Normandie Arms Tenant
Mona Lyden
as Crystal Fricker
Betty Carvalho
as Maid
Hope Alexander-Willis
as Female Minister
Mel Novak
as Sidewalk Minister
Dom Magwili
as Teacher
Don Feldstein
as Charlie at Bowl
Harvey Keenan
as Homeless Man
A. Kent Braverman
as Salvation Army Guy
Lori Sigrist
as Adult Twin Nurse
Terri Sigrist
as Adult Twin Nurse
Patrick Richwood
as Federal Clerk
Jim Meskimen
as State D.A.
Israel Juarbe
as Ernesto on Scaffold
Martin Garbus
as Assistant Prosecutor
Allan Kent
as Court Officer
Duane Matthews
as Court Officer
Carol Williard
as Court Photographer
Sean O'Bryan
as Undercover Cop
Joanna Heimbold
as Undercover Cop
Rebecca Holberg
as Undercover Cop
Renee Albert
as Camerawoman
Robert Malina
as News Video Cameraman
Jeris Poindexter
as Local Newscaster
Joyce Brothers
as Herself
Erin Moran
as Celebrity in Parade
Elinor Donahue
as Celebrity in Parade
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Critic Reviews for Dear God

All Critics (34) | Top Critics (11)

It unfortunately has an unfinished quality, and plays very much like a good first draft for a much better movie than the one on view.

Mar 26, 2009
Variety
Top Critic

Together, these characters discover the ideas of faith and fellowship as the film congratulates itself on its noble instincts.

May 20, 2003 | Rating: 2.5/5
New York Times
Top Critic

A goofy, goodwill gesture toward the U.S. Postal Service, it's never funny and moves slower than an unaddressed letter without postage.

Jan 22, 2002 | Full Review…
Washington Post
Top Critic

As trite as the framework is, Dear God might have been a charming holiday film, if only its miracles weren't so trite.

Feb 14, 2001 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic

A sickeningly bad pastiche of much better pictures.

Jan 1, 2000 | Rating: 1/4 | Full Review…
ReelViews
Top Critic

It is a limp, lifeless story starring Greg Kinnear as a con man who becomes a do-gooder, and one of its many problems is that he was a lot more entertaining as a con man.

Jan 1, 2000 | Rating: 1/4 | Full Review…
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (34)

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