After seeing a number of LDS produced films of late I think I'm getting a good grasp of what the missionary experience is all about. This latest one features some fine acting and nice location shooting in The Netherlands, specifically in the city of Haarlem.
With the most limited of contact with the world they come from these young men and in some cases young women go out in the world preaching the tenets of the Mormon Church. Proselytizing is not something I would normally encourage, but the message seems to be good public relations for the church, if converts come they come. Bearing that in mind my own experiences with Mormon Elders my whole life has been positive which is to say I'm not about to become one. It's a lot better with them than with Protestant evangelicals or Catholic reactionaries.
Which brings us to The Best Two Years and the fact that the young folk give up some good years to do the church thing. That includes personal relations which are put on hold just as if one goes to war. And occasionally like our GIs have experienced the Elders get Dear John letters.
Which is what happened to KC Rogers and the other two who live in his four Elder apartment are concerned he's lost the zeal. But he's getting a new Elder partner in the person of Kirby Heybourne. Maybe that will shake up the chemistry among the four who also include, Cameron Hopkin and David Nibley.
I've seen Kirby Heybourne in a few LDS films now and I have to confess I've become a fan. The young man has a really great range as a player, doing all kinds of very different parts. I recently saw and reviewed Sons Of Provo where he plays part of a boy band trio and him playing the rather earnest but dorky Elder Calhoun in The Best Two Years. He's a convert himself, his parents are not LDS members and he's got the zeal of a convert if not the skills down just yet.
Without going through the whole plot, let's say Heybourne has a positive effect on all around him.
The only weakness of The Best Two Years is that I think it's too insular and definitely marketed for Mormon audience. A lot of outsiders might not get a lot of the subtleties of the Missionary experience. Still it's a fine piece of work, just not necessarily for all of us gentiles.
With the most limited of contact with the world they come from these young men and in some cases young women go out in the world preaching the tenets of the Mormon Church. Proselytizing is not something I would normally encourage, but the message seems to be good public relations for the church, if converts come they come. Bearing that in mind my own experiences with Mormon Elders my whole life has been positive which is to say I'm not about to become one. It's a lot better with them than with Protestant evangelicals or Catholic reactionaries.
Which brings us to The Best Two Years and the fact that the young folk give up some good years to do the church thing. That includes personal relations which are put on hold just as if one goes to war. And occasionally like our GIs have experienced the Elders get Dear John letters.
Which is what happened to KC Rogers and the other two who live in his four Elder apartment are concerned he's lost the zeal. But he's getting a new Elder partner in the person of Kirby Heybourne. Maybe that will shake up the chemistry among the four who also include, Cameron Hopkin and David Nibley.
I've seen Kirby Heybourne in a few LDS films now and I have to confess I've become a fan. The young man has a really great range as a player, doing all kinds of very different parts. I recently saw and reviewed Sons Of Provo where he plays part of a boy band trio and him playing the rather earnest but dorky Elder Calhoun in The Best Two Years. He's a convert himself, his parents are not LDS members and he's got the zeal of a convert if not the skills down just yet.
Without going through the whole plot, let's say Heybourne has a positive effect on all around him.
The only weakness of The Best Two Years is that I think it's too insular and definitely marketed for Mormon audience. A lot of outsiders might not get a lot of the subtleties of the Missionary experience. Still it's a fine piece of work, just not necessarily for all of us gentiles.