The Overnighters

Drafthouse Films | Release Date: October 10, 2014

7.5	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Ratings

USER RATING DISTRIBUTION

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Review this movie

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Please sign in or create an account before writing a review.

Check box if your review contains spoilers

0 characters (5000 max)

User Reviews

User score By date Most helpful

KboyOct 22, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The director and main figure (the pastor) in the film showed a near-sociopathic indifference to the dignity and humanity of the wife of the pastor. Both of these parties arranged to film the pastor's wife while she was told something devastating to her, to her marriage, and to her three sensitive and intelligent children. This is profoundly inhuman. How rich that the pastor tried to reduce the import of that disclosure by saying "I realize I've put you in a difficult spot." Spot? How about landscape, or abyss? Even given that a perceptive audience member might discern all along that the pastor's disclosure would have to be in the stars, whether on-screen or off, the wife of the pastor was, on some important level, completely taken aback and devastated by this FILMED disclosure. Both the pastor and the filmmaker *arranged* to surprise her in this way--whatever can be claimed about releases that she may subsequently have signed. Her signing a release does not mitigate the wrongness of filming her in the first place! We have all run across people like the pastor in the film, people who mysteriously position themselves as the "central character" in a church, a family, or a film--people who, like a slowly subtly sinking ship, are willing and able to sink all associated other-humans in their spiraling wake. The pastor suffered greatly, had many good qualities, and was at least discernible as questioning his own actions and motives, even if doing so was typically intertwined with grandiosity. But the *filmmaker* could have refused to engage in the dehumanizing and unethical act of surprise-*filming* this pastor's devastating disclosure to his wife. Instead, the filmmaker seemed inspired to engage in the same sort of sociopathy exhibited by the main "character"-- as if indulging one's hunger for success and attention trumped all human obligation. The result is a bad film (when a strong film could have been made of the project). Sometimes it doesn't pay, on any level, to act unethically.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

All this user's reviews

ProsmoothFeb 10, 2015

How Christian is too Christian? At what point does being a good person stop--and being reckless start? These are a couple of questions that Jesse Moss' new documentary asks. To its credit--I don't think it really tries to answer them. TheseHow Christian is too Christian? At what point does being a good person stop--and being reckless start? These are a couple of questions that Jesse Moss' new documentary asks. To its credit--I don't think it really tries to answer them. These are questions that we each must answer in our own heart. A Lutheran Pastor in the film named Jay Reinke opens up his life, his home, and his family to the camera and it's our job to just watch and ponder for ourselves. It's also a brutal film about an America that isn't quite sure who it is at its core. One of the best documentaries ever made in my opinion.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

genaeNov 11, 2014

I saw this film at Telluride Mountainfilm Festival. It's one of the best verite documentaries I've ever seen. It's deep, touches more than a few cultural issues elements, and is extremely timely in its message. Loved it.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

EpicLadySpongeMay 3, 2016

The Overnighters is another experience to take home and then bring it everywhere you go so you can make everyone you see watch how great this film is.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews