Mangus!

By: Dudley Best
In-House Review - Jun 21 2011

Filmmaker Ash Christian's sophomore feature (his first directorial effort was the 2006 comedy Fat Girls)is this frantic, wildly funny (and weird) new comedy that revolves around a high school senior with one goal in life: to become Jesus.

Actually, he wants the lead role in the high school production of "Jesus Christ Spectacular" (a shameless rip-off of "Jesus Christ Superstar"). Mangus' father and grandfather both played Jesus in their youth - and they still wear the robes to prove it. He has a legacy to continue!

At first, Mangus gets the role. Sadly, however, a freak accident renders Mangus disabled and wheelchair-bound. As a result, he loses the part to his archnemesis. He is soon shuttled off to live with his estranged mother and quasi-siblings in a trailer park. Determined not to be derailed by a "" setback, Mangus begins a campaign to convince the theater teacher, school board, his family members and even the "New Jesus" that he can still play the part. All he needs is a ramp!

By: .Amos Lassen

Ash Christian's ("Fat Girls") new movie is a dark and trashy comedy with humor that cuts deep. Mangus Spedgwick has dreamt his whole life of landing the role of Jesus in his high school's annual production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" just as his father and grandfather that done when they were his age. Then he gets the part and...his dream stands the chance of being shattered. The director (Leslie Jordan) is all for Mangus playing the part but a group of scheming women, Stage Mothers of Texas, convince the school board that it is not fitting that Jesus be played by someone in a wheelchair. Mangus cannot be defeated easily and he fights back.

This is most definitely a film that will develop a cult following. Jennifer Coolidge plays Mangus' mother and Heather Matarazzo is his lesbian sister and even John Waters makes a cameo appearance. The humor is raw and cutting and Mangus finds himself in very strange situations in trying to hold up his family traditions. He is into breaking the law, going to a strip club, appearing at a murder scene in a trailer park and even getting as far as Florida. He is on a journey to save face and to portray the first wheelchair bound messiah.