SEARCHING FOR THE WRONG-EYED JESUS
Directed by & Director of Photography: Andrew Douglas.
Produced by: Andrew Douglas & Martin Rosenbaum.
Written by: Steve Haisman.
Edited by: Michael Elliot.
Music by: Jim White, et al.
Released by: Shadow Distribution.
Country of Origin: UK. 82 min. Not Rated.

This road-trip documentary follows musician Jim White as he returns to his Southern roots. He drives through trailer parks and small towns in Louisiana "trying to find the gold tooth in God's crooked smile" with a ceramic statue of Jesus hanging out of his trunk. In the process, he paints a narrow picture of Southern culture that is transfixed on religious beliefs of Heaven and Hell, as well as tall tales. The movie aims to show how this Southern atmosphere inspires and affects musicians, but the random songs inserted throughout just make the film's motive choppy and unclear.

There are interesting moments, especially when White visits a prison and the inmates discuss their road to jail. These small moments of intrigue are far outweighed by voyeuristic scenes, like the ones in a Pentecostal church where people are speaking in tongues and a man places his head on the forehead of a young boy as if trying to cast out a demon. The film tries to be philosophical about religion and working-class life but instead comes across reinforcing Southern stereotypes of ignorance set against a backdrop of country-folk music. Lauren Hines
July 17, 2005