History Film / GodsArmy

While Mormons had been portrayed in countless movies beforehand, Dutcher found such portraits stereotypical and wanted to give audiences a more raw and honest look at what being a missionary was really about. Shot on a low-budget of $300,000, ''God's Army'' was a surprise box office hit, grossing over $2.6 million at the box office and earning the same amount in VHS/DVD sales. The film's success launched the modern UsefulNotes/MormonCinema genre, though many of films made in its wake were not exactly what Dutcher was expecting.

While Mormons had been portrayed in countless movies beforehand, Dutcher found such portraits stereotypical and wanted to give audiences a more raw and honest look at what being a missionary was really about. Shot on a low-budget of $300,000, ''God's Army'' was a surprise box office hit, grossing over $2.6 million at the box office and earning the same amount in VHS/DVD sales. The film's success launched the modern UsefulNotes/MormonCinema genre, though films made in its wake were not exactly what Dutcher was expecting.

** Elder Kinegar becomes obsessed with anti-Mormon literature and leaves the mission.
** Elder Banks has a hard time dealing with the ban on Blacks holding the priesthood which was lifted in 1978.

* HorribleHollywood: Downplayed. Los Angeles is depicted as a scuzzy place, though there are some good characters. The dirtiest thing is probably two prostitutes who try to toy with the missionaries.

* TheMissionary: All of the main characters are missionaries.

* TrailersAlwaysSpoil: The trailer spoils that [[spoiler:Elder Kinegar leaves the mission because of his doubts about the Church.]]

* ArtisticLicense: In real life, missionaries with poor health are required to be sent home with no exceptions. Justified in that President Beecroft tried to send Elder Dalton home, but he refused.

* FanServiceWithASmile: Downplayed with a waitress at a restaurant. She isn't very skimpily dressed, but all the missionaries find her attractive, especially Elder Sandoval.

** Elder Sandoval preaching repentance to Hollywood is a reference to Samuel the Lamanite in Literature/TheBookOfMormon preaching to the people of Zarahemla. The other missionaries catch the reference and start pelting him with stuff.

** There's (infamously) the scene where some of the missionaries take pictures of Banks using the toilet.

** Allen realizes on the first night that missionary work is incredibly hard and leaves for the bus station. Dalton and Banks track him down and convinces him to return.

* ArtisticLicense: In real life, missionaries with poor health are required to be sent home with no exceptions. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that President Beecroft tried to send Elder Dalton home, but he refused.

* ToiletHumor: Quite a few.

** There's also (infamously) the scene where some of the missionaries take pictures of Banks using the toilet.

Throughout his mission, Allen finds the rules overwhelming and difficult, even threating to leave on the first night. But as he experiences the struggles and sacrifices the other missionaries have to face, he'll discover that the most crucial person he needs to convert is himself.

* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: [[spoiler:At Dalton's funeral,]] President Beecroft lays out some Dalton's faults and weaknessing, saying, "He lacked patience, he lost his temper...he even flirted with my wife!"

While Mormons had been portrayed in countless movies beforehand, Dutcher found such portraits stereotypical and wanted to give audiences a more raw and honest look at what being a missionary was really about. Shot on a low-budget of $300,000, ''God's Army'' was a surprise box office hit, grossing over $2.6 million at the box office and earning the same amount in VHS/DVD sales. The film's success launched the modern MormonCinema genre, though films made in its wake were not exactly what Dutcher was expecting.

* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: At the end of the film, Allen in voice-over briefly talks about what happened to the other missionaries after the mission.

A sequel to this film, titled ''God's Army 2: States of Grace'', was released in 2005.

* CrisisOfFaith: Most of the missionaries have doubts about their faith and religion.

* {{Determinator}}: Dalton just will not give up in the face of death.

* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: [[spoiler:At Dalton's funeral, President Beecroft lays out some grievances he had with the late missionary, ending with "he even flirted with my wife!"]]

->''The field is white, ready to harvest...even in Los Angeles.''

* BreakTheBeliever: Kinegar dabbles with anti-Mormon literature so much that he gets to a point where he finds missionary work completely useless. Before he leaves, Dalton berates his decision, saying he had a strong testimony when he first came to the mission field. Kinegar not only renounces his confirmation but also Dalton's efforts.

* IRejectYourReality: Kinegar dabbles with anti-Mormon literature so much that he gets to a point where he finds missionary work completely useless. Before he leaves, Dalton berates his decision, claiming he had a strong testimony when he first came to the mission field. Kinegar not only renounces his confirmation but also Dalton's efforts.

* ToiletHumor: Quite a few. After Allen and Dalton find one house empty, the homeowner arrives and rushes inside to use the bathroom. There's also (infamously) the scene where some of the missionaries take pictures of Banks using the toilet.

While Mormons had been portrayed in countless movies beforehand, Dutcher found such portraits stereotypical and wanted to give audiences a more raw and honest look at what being a missionary was really about. Shot on a low-budget of $300,000, ''God's Army'' was a surprise box office hit, grossing over $2.6 million at the box office and earning the same amount in VHS/DVD sales. The film's success launched the modern MormonCinema genre, though films made in its wake were not what Dutcher was expecting.

* NotSoAboveItAll: Elder Banks gets really angry when he's on the receiving end of Elder Mangum's practical joke and demands that it stops. During the breakfast prayer, he pours salt into Elder Mangum's cereal as payback.

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Allen realizes on the first night that missionary work is incredibly hard and leaves for the bus station. Dalton and Banks track him down and convinces him to return. Later on, Elder Kinegar successfully leaves the mission after giving in to the rhetoric of the anti-Mormon books he was reading.

** Sister Fronk asks Allen what the three greatest books ever written were. Her first guess is the first three ''Literature/{{Goosebumps}}'' books.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: Richard Dutcher says a lot of the events in the film were inspired by his own experiences while serving in Mexico.

'''''God's Army''''' was a 2000 independent religious drama film written, directed, [[DescendedCreator and starring]] Richard Dutcher. The film centers on Brandon Allen (Matthew A. Brown), a new LDS missionary serving in Los Angeles. He is assigned with Marcus Dalton (Dutcher), nicknamed "Pops" due to being the oldest missionary in the mission field, who is slowly succumbing to brain cancer. Other missionaries joining them include the [[TokenMinority black recruit]] Elder Banks, the spiritually struggling Elder Kinegar, and the emotionally devastated Sister Fronk.

* ShoutOut: When Allen gets picked up from the airport, the missionaries in the car ask where he's from. Allen says "Kanas" and the missionaries respond with "[[Film/TheWizardOfOz Well elder, you're not in Kanas anymore!]]"

* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: At the end of the film, Allen in voice-over briefly talks about what happened to the other missionaries after the mission.

''This page is under construction.''