There's been a lot of talk about the movie "Saved," and what it says about religious intolerance in our society. Now JVibe movie reviewer Ben E. examines what Cassandra, the only Jewish character, contributes to the film.

What does it mean to be saved? I don't mean in the physical sense, like being saved from a near death experience, but rather, being saved from what you fear will be God's perception of you. The bible, both Jewish and Christian, offers a fairly narrow portrait of characters: no handicapped people, no gays, and no out-of-wedlock pregnancies. It's a portrait many people today can't relate too; and because of this, there is a fear from some that we as humans are headed South in our afterlives. This is an issue pondered by several characters in the recently released comedy "Saved!"

The film follows the lives of a group of born-again Christians--seniors in a Christian high-school, many of whom find their daily lives in harsh conflict with their religion. The school is chockfull of Jesus, with its multitude of painted statues, and over-the top assemblies with a headmaster who asks, "Who's down with G-O-D?"

Mary (Jena Malone) realizes she's pregnant after having sex with her gay boyfriend Dean (Chad Faust) in an attempt to "cure him." This results in Dean being sent to a sort of "Christian rehab institution." Meanwhile, Roland (Macaulay Culkin) is forced to deal with his popular and condescending sister Hilary Faye (Mandy Moore), who is obsessed with trying to convert the Jewish girl in town, Cassandra (Eva Amurri), to Christianity.

Soon after realizing she's pregnant, Mary begins to drift from her "posse," led by Hilary Faye, and finds comfort, camaraderie, and understanding in outcasts Cassandra and Roland. But things heat up when the headmaster's son Patrick (Patrick Fugit), new to school, takes a liking to Mary--much to the dismay and jealousy of Hilary Faye. Hilary Faye begins to alienate Mary and her new group, feeling they are straying from Jesus, and a sort of war breaks out between the two groups. Hilary Faye and her clique are upset by the other's lack of traditional Christianity, while Mary and her friends are aggravated by the other's intolerance.

Life for Cassandra, the lone Jew

Painting such a satirical portrait of Christianity, I suppose it could be easy for Christians to see this film as a mockery of their religion. But I agree with movie reviewer Roger Ebert, who says the film is "not as an attack on Christianity, but rather on intolerance." There is never enough tolerance in life, and interfaith relationships are a true testimony to that statement. Cassandra, although it may not seem so in the film, has it the worst of any of the characters. In an environment so enveloped in Christ and Christianity, her Judaism prevents most anyone from so much as approaching her.

She is an interesting character, and could be seen as offensive to some Jews. After all, she is angry, sarcastic, somewhat gothic, out of control, and above all misunderstood. Not only would a Jew likely never be tolerated in a school full of Born Again Christians, but especially one so delinquent. However, it's perhaps the very fact that Cassandra is already going to hell in the eyes of everyone in her surroundings that frees her to be herself.

All the characters in the film have irreconcilable imperfections, and once Mary and Roland befriend Cassandra, her free-spirited outlook and "nothing to lose" attitude rub off on them, almost giving them the "OK" to be different as well. Soon, they realize that their flaws don't make them any less Christian. Mary and Roland have been so trained--almost to the point of brainwashed--into being the "perfect Christians," that it took someone so external (the Jew) to balance their views and outlooks on life. It's Cassandra who offered them a different perspective, and who could shed new light onto their understandings of themselves and their role in their community.

Is there any hope?

The subplot of the Jew, above all, makes the tragic point that there will never be real interfaith relationships amongst extremists. Sure Cassandra helped Mary and Roland's self-esteem, but it's unlikely either one could never Cassandra home to meet the family. And for the other students, they just see the differences and beliefs between religions as too great; they simply shun the idea of developing relationships with Cassandra. If only they knew that such a relationship could perhaps help their own religious life, as was the case of Mary and Roland.

"Saved!" is groundbreaking in how it presents the problem of religion and our role in it. It could take place in any religious high school, for its problems are universal, and ones we as Jews struggle with everyday. No matter what religious school someone attends, Christian, Jewish, or any other, "Saved!" delves into the sort of religious and relationship based questions that apply to everyone. Hopefully, all different religious groups will view the film and more people will develop a keener insight into the idea of interfaith relationships.