Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul

The revelations in Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul are hardly a shock, exposing certain evangelical leaders who are motivated more by greed than God.

Still, there’s audacity in satirizing faith and forgiveness, especially at predominantly Black megachurches weaved into the cultural fabric in the South — where the basketball gyms are almost as large as the sanctuaries, and Sunday services are known as much for fashion spectacle as scriptural pedagogy.

Driven by deeply felt performances, this sharply observed comedy captures the complex relationship between pastors, parishioners, and their higher power with an authenticity that facilitates its playful tweaking.

The story is set in Atlanta, where the flamboyant Baptist preacher Lee-Curtis Childs (Sterling K. Brown) and his “first lady” wife, Trinitie (Regina Hall), are preparing to reopen their church after enduring a sex scandal.

They hope to lure a full congregation back to their Easter celebration filled with gimmicks and showmanship. They’ve even brazenly hired a documentary crew to capture the glorious occasion. Although the nature of the impropriety remains a mystery, Lee-Curtis conveniently shifts the blame elsewhere: “You don’t get to pick how the devil torments you.”

As the re-opening approaches, the couple scrambles to regain the trust of their regulars, many of which have defected to a growing church run by former proteges Keon (Conphidance) and Shakura (Nicole Beharie). Desperation leads to competition, and the Childs’ relationship begins to crumble along with their following.

The screenplay by rookie director Adamma Ebo, expanded from her 2018 short film, generates some big laughs by poking fun at broad targets without resorting to outright mockery of organized religion or institutional belief systems.

Although the characters and scenarios are largely exaggerated, the film is grounded enough to retain its satirical edge. For example, it examines the broader power of persuasion, plus the level of trust and morality bestowed on clergy.

The film paints the Childs as hypocrites who exploit their congregation for fame and fortune. Do they believe a word they’re preaching? Who knows, but they are willing to risk blasphemy to feed their lavish lifestyle.

Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul stumbles when it transitions into a more straightforward redemption saga because its sinners haven’t earned the requisite sympathy. Perhaps the result will hit too close to home for some moviegoers, who might need to say a prayer before laughing.

Rated R, 103 minutes.