Commandments (1997)
I just finished this one, and I must say it wasn’t what I expected. It had a very thought provoking ending. You might guess where the story goes, but it takes a turn here and there leading to unexpected situations.
Aidan Quinn who is a much under appreciated actor takes the lead role of Seth Warner in this, using his subtle acting skills to breathe life into his character. Courteney Cox from the television series “Friends” stars alongside him as Rachel Luce an attorney.
I thought the casting was pretty interesting; with Anthony LaPaglia playing Rachel’s husband Harry Luce who is a reporter. Each one of these actors brought something extra to their roles. This film was written and directed by Daniel Taplitz.
Aidan’s character Seth is a regular guy constantly bombarded by different tragedies; which begin to change his perspective of the world and religion. The biggest event for Seth in his life was the loss of his wife from an accident which happened two years earlier. His home gets destroyed and his dog even crippled.
After all these things start happening to him, he decides to spite God and begins to break each of the 10 commandments in the bible. He questions the many reasons of his life, and the way things are testing his own faith. Pamela Gray plays Melissa Murphy who sleeps around quite a bit, leading herself into trouble along the way and even gets mixed up in the story.
More of the cast includes: Shirl Bernheim as Sylvia Andrew, Peter Jacobson and Patrick Garner both play bankers, Marcia DeBonis is the receptionist, Lisa Louise Langford is the Paramedic, Chris McGinn is a Nurse, Louis Zorich is Rudy Warner, Scott Sowers is Detective Malhoney, Pat McNamara is Police Chief Warren, Jack Gilpin is Gordon Bloom and Amy Sedaris plays a Scholar. Joanna Going played Karen Warner, and Sara Colton was a N.Y. Daily News Reporter both of them not credited in the film.
I think this would be considered a dark comedy, leaning more towards a dramatic movie. It flirts with different aspects about religion. This certainly pokes fun of the Old Testament in the bible, while keeping a strong reference to each of the 10 commandments.
This film does ask many questions that most of us have about life and a sense of purpose in the world. Overall, I think you will find it amusing enough to see, and if you enjoy dark sided humor then you will probably like this one.
