EXTRAORDINARY VISITOR
Canada. 1998. Director/Screenplay - John W. Doyle, Producers - Paul Pope & Jennice Ripley, Photography - Brian R.R. Hebb, Music - Eric Cadesky & Nick Dyer, Production Design - Pam Hall. Production Company - Film East Inc. Raoul Bhaneja (John the Baptist), Mary Walsh (Marietta), Andy Jones (Rick), Jordan Canning (Alison), Rick Boland (Pope Innocent XVI), Greg Malone (Cardinal Vignetti), Janet Michael (Virgin Mary)
Plot: On November 1, 1999 The Virgin Mary appears to The Pope to announce that God has decided to shut the human experiment down. John the Baptist is sent to Earth to find one last shred of hope. Arriving in St John's, Newfoundland, John is taken in by Rick, an electronics repairman, and Marietta, his wife who hosts a local tv talkshow. An innocent in the 20th century, John is talked into posing as a millenial expert on Marietta's show where his prophesying of the end of the world in four days time suddenly gains him a following.
Among the profusion of millennium themed films either being commissioned or trying to cash in at the moment, this is one of the few that actually uses the date with any significance. Among the majority of other millennial films the date is of almost to no relevance. The crucial question should be whether it makes any difference to the story whether the film is set around the millennial crunch point or upon another date to which in most cases the answer is invariably a resounding no.
This Newfoundland-made production concerns itself with the Biblical End Times prophecies etc etc. The whole hysteria is gently deflated by a highly engaging sense of humour. For one the film plays upon John the Baptist's turning up in Newfoundland, somewhere that is generally regarded by the rest of Canadians as being the hayseed boondocks of the country. For the most part the film doesn't concern too much with the theological issues but rather sets itself up as a highly amusing outsider comedy with St John played as an innocent amid civilization. The contrasts of cultures between John circa 0 A.D. and now are rather wittily played: "Do you think they know we're watching them ?" John asks upon watching tv for the first time. Director/writer Doyle also jabs a number of irreverent jokes at the Catholic church - with the Pope being brought ordained animal biscuits and being seen being given a pedicure by an obeisant nun; and in one bawdy joke having a drunken John throwing up while in telepathic prayer communication with The Pope.
Doyle's greatest ability, aside from a wonderful sense of humour, is an ability to get the best from an excellent ensemble cast. Raoul Bhaneja affects just the right balance of serene aloofness and naive earnestness as John. And Mary Walsh's performance blind to most of what is going on is marvellous - there's an hilarious conversation between her and Bhaneja with her misinterpreting his Christ-like proclamations, "I am not a man" to hysterical effect. Immensely enjoyable.
Reviewed at the 1998 Vancouver International Film Festival Copyright 1998 Richard Scheib
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