Mercy Streets
Kevin and Bobby Downes
Signal Hill Pictures, 2009, 105 minutes, $14.95, MercyStreets.com
If Sister Act had been directed by Martin Scorcese, you might get something close to Mercy Streets, a well-made urban crime drama that is unafraid to incorporate the grit that most religious movies try and polish out. Cutting out the normal profanity and excessive violence common in the genre, the film is forced to stand on the merits of its storytelling; and it stands tall.
The dialog is witty at points, inspirational at others, all the while avoiding the cliché preachy vibe of most overtly religious pictures. Even the overdone storyline of identical twins swapping lives feels less tired in this context.
While the story of mobsters, counterfeiters and mistaken identity may not offer audience members something to relate to, the emotional baggage, moral conflicts and search for meaning that the characters experience certainly does. Mercy Streets successfully wields its storytelling for an inspirational viewing experience.
