Don Verdean is a dark comedy from filmmakers Jared and Jerusha Hess (Napoleon Dynamite), a smart and cynical take on the faux scientists embraced by the Christian Right. Sam Rockwell plays the title character, a Christian “archaeologist” of dubious credentials and ethics who keeps “discovering” Biblical relics and marketing them to gullible true believers.
Verdean and his assistants (Amy Ryan and Jermaine Clement) find themselves entangled with rival pastors, both charlatans. One is a former convict (Danny McBride) with a former hooker wife (Leslie Bibb); the other is a former Satanist (Will Forte) with his own bogus academic henchman (Sky Elobar). The cast is all good. Sam Rockwell sounds like he is channeling a TV preacher version of Sam Elliott.
But the real revelation is Jermaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords, who plays Verdean’s Israeli fixer, Boaz. The Hesses start Boaz out as a footnote and then gradually develop him into one of the lead characters. Clement imbues Boaz with an unintentional sneer, a sometimes puzzling Hebrew accent and ascendant venality. Clement even gets a very funny dance bit (less extended and sidesplitting than the one in Napoleon Dynamite but funny nonetheless).
Jared and Jerusha Hess are the team behind Napoleon Dynamite, a pretty solid comedy credential. The Hesses know of what they write. They’re not just Hollywood religion-mockers – both attended BYU.
Here’s an example. The Hesses gave Clement’s character the name of Boaz. Those who know the Old Testament story of Ruth (we’re only talking Jews and Fundamentalist Christians here) will recognize Boaz as a major Good Guy. Some may even know that Boaz was an ancestor of both David and Jesus, who some scholars see as a “pre-figure” of Christ. But Boaz is a Biblical name that nobody gives their kid – so you never meet a Boaz today. Given the arc of the Boaz character in Don Verdean, the name is brilliantly ironic.
There are more cynical chuckles here than there are gut-busting guffaws. In one particularly inspired touch, the Hesses inserted Put Your Hand in the Hand into the soundtrack. Don Verdean is a little movie that’s sure to be overlooked during the big Holiday movie season, but there aren’t many good comedies in theaters now, so it’s a good choice for those looking for a dark indie comedy.