Salvation Boulevard
Encyclopedia
Salvation Boulevard is a 2011 comedy-drama film with religious undertones. It is based on the novel of the same name by Larry Beinhart
.
) accidentally shoots a best-selling atheist named Dr. Paul Blaylock (Harris
) in the head while discussing a new book idea over a drink. While panicked Day tries to cover it up and makes it looks like a suicide realizing what would happen to his reputation if word were to get out of the shooting. However, reborn church-goer and ex-deadhead Carl (Kinnear
) witnesses the act and has to endure attacks by fellow church-goers at Day's request (although under false pretense), his family's skepticism over what really happened, and a Mexican crime lord/opportunist who kidnaps him looking to blackmail him and/or Pastor Day with footage of the accident. Hilarity ensues.
, particularly Ann Arbor
and Dearborn
in April and June of 2010. Salvation Boulevard premiered at the Sundance Film Festival
in January of 2011, and was released theatrically by IFC Films
on July 15, 2011 in the United States.
Larry Beinhart
Larry Beinhart is an American author. He is best known as the author of the political and detective novel American Hero, which was adapted for the political-parody film Wag the Dog. Directed by Barry Levinson, it starred Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Anne Heche, William H...
.
Plot
After a debate over the legitmacy of religion a modern day evangelical preacher Pastor Dan Day (BrosnanPierce Brosnan
Pierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
) accidentally shoots a best-selling atheist named Dr. Paul Blaylock (Harris
Ed Harris
Edward Allen "Ed" Harris is an American actor, writer, and director, known for his performances in Appaloosa, Radio, The Rock, The Abyss, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, A History of Violence, and The Truman Show. Harris has also narrated commercials for The Home Depot and other companies...
) in the head while discussing a new book idea over a drink. While panicked Day tries to cover it up and makes it looks like a suicide realizing what would happen to his reputation if word were to get out of the shooting. However, reborn church-goer and ex-deadhead Carl (Kinnear
Greg Kinnear
Gregory "Greg" Kinnear is an American actor and television personality who first rose to stardom in 1991. He has appeared in more than 20 motion pictures, and was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in As Good as It Gets.-Early life:Kinnear was born in Logansport, Indiana, the son of...
) witnesses the act and has to endure attacks by fellow church-goers at Day's request (although under false pretense), his family's skepticism over what really happened, and a Mexican crime lord/opportunist who kidnaps him looking to blackmail him and/or Pastor Day with footage of the accident. Hilarity ensues.
Cast
- Pierce BrosnanPierce BrosnanPierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
as Dan Day, the powerful leader of a church - Greg KinnearGreg KinnearGregory "Greg" Kinnear is an American actor and television personality who first rose to stardom in 1991. He has appeared in more than 20 motion pictures, and was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in As Good as It Gets.-Early life:Kinnear was born in Logansport, Indiana, the son of...
as Carl Vanderveer, an ex-Deadhead and member of Pastor Dan's church - Jennifer ConnellyJennifer ConnellyJennifer Lynn Connelly is an American film actress, who began her career as a child model. She appeared in magazine, newspaper and television advertising, before making her motion picture debut in the 1984 crime film Once Upon a Time in America...
as Gwen Vanderveer, Carl's wife - Marisa TomeiMarisa TomeiMarisa Tomei is an American stage, film and television actress. Following her work on As The World Turns, Tomei came to prominence as a supporting cast member on The Cosby Show spinoff A Different World in 1987...
as Honey Foster, a pot-smoking campus security guard - Ed HarrisEd HarrisEdward Allen "Ed" Harris is an American actor, writer, and director, known for his performances in Appaloosa, Radio, The Rock, The Abyss, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, A History of Violence, and The Truman Show. Harris has also narrated commercials for The Home Depot and other companies...
as Dr. Paul Blaylock, an atheist professor who doesn't buy Dan's theories - Isabelle FuhrmanIsabelle FuhrmanIsabelle Fuhrman is an American teen actress. Fuhrman is best known for playing Esther in Orphan.-Life and career:...
as Angie Vanderveer, Carl's stepdaughter - Jim GaffiganJim GaffiganJames Christopher "Jim" Gaffigan is an American stand-up comedian and actor.-Early life:Gaffigan was born in Chesterton, Indiana and attended La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana. He is the youngest of six children and often jokes about growing up in a large family. He attended one year at...
as Jerry Hobson, Pastor Day's cameraman - Ciarán HindsCiarán HindsCiarán Hinds is an Irish film, television and stage actor. He has built up a reputation as a versatile character actor appearing in such high profile films as Road to Perdition, The Phantom of the Opera, Munich, There Will Be Blood and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. His television roles include...
as Jim Hunt, Gwen's ex-Marine father - Yul VazquezYul VazquezYul Vázquez was born in Cuba. He is an actor and he is married to Linda Larkin.He has appeared as “Bob” in the Seinfeld episodes “The Soup Nazi”, “The Sponge” and “The Puerto Rican Day”....
as Jorge Guzman De Vaca, a Mexican crime lord
Production
Filming took place in MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, particularly Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
and Dearborn
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
in April and June of 2010. Salvation Boulevard premiered at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
in January of 2011, and was released theatrically by IFC Films
IFC Films
IFC Films is an American film distribution company based in New York, owned by AMC Networks. It distributes independent films and documentaries under the IFC Films, Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight. It operates the IFC Center....
on July 15, 2011 in the United States.