The Perfect Stranger (1994)

This is the most sensitive and creative presentation of the Christian faith from an evangelical point of view that I have seen -- and that's saying a lot when such productions are universally ham-handed. Kudos to all involved -- esp. the writer, director and actors -- for the inherent lack of Bible thumping! It's true this is not a big-budget production, but it inherently needn't be. Pamela Brumley has an Amy Irving look and I think she does a fine job in her role. (Sure, she gets shrill with her husband, but he has just finished ignoring her, being clueless about his daughter's day, and divulging his intent to attend a ball game in lieu of prior dinner plans with his wife. She is a modern woman who has had to be a mom and an attorney, so her desire for a measure of marital support is justified and her testiness and cynicism can be understood.) Jefferson Moore as Jesus looks Swiss, it is true -- but wait for the twists at the end -- and he sensitively carries his very demanding side of the dialog as self-effacingly as William Macy might. Just as Nikki (Brumley) is gradually convinced thoroughly of his authenticity, so should any viewer who doesn't carry a chip on their shoulder. (You cannot say he is trashing Hinduism and Islam when his points about these faiths are true: Believers cannot become as perfect as God wills by their own efforts alone, and followers of these faiths can never know when they have done enough to please God. Only Christianity teaches that it is not good deeds or even good character but a relationship with a person -- Jesus Christ -- that makes one right with God; only Christians can know -- by faith but in this life -- that they have eternal life.) Be that as it may, this movie sensitively and cogently addresses the intriguing question: What would having dinner with Christ be like? Having a personal conversation over an evening meal is the perfect venue to get around the vagaries of theological generalities and buzzwords. This movie is a personal and moving approach to the discussion and I only resist giving it 5 stars because it is a low-budget production and a demanding task to intuit God's own dialog with unparalleled sensitivity. 4.5 stars.