There are times when a film based on some dramatic event like war or love is too intense to be appreciated; the idea of dealing with fictional problems along with realistic dilemmas can be tedious and simply not enjoyable. That's when the uncomplicated story is better. Even if the flick is far from receiving a single look from the Academy, the light hearted mood often successfully deviates from the trauma that we would rather avoid.
In his latest film "Dear God," Greg Kinnear creates the kind of mellow humor that is characteristic of these comedies. He takes a situation that could be a dramatic series of events and turns it into a whimsical mixture of the unfortunate reality and the hopeful dream. He is the all-American guy, who manages to create more trouble than anything, and everyone loves him for it.
"Dear God" is not a film of dynamic character development and plot; we learn that early on when Tom Turner (Kinnear) is arrested for trying to scam some foreigners into buying an outdated airplane ticket. A judge presents him with two options: He can either serve his punishment in jail, or he must find a legal job within the next week. When the con decides to avoid a federal penitentiary, he finds himself in a different sort of prison - the Dead Letter Office of the United States Postal Service, where six eccentric individuals have been employed.
Immediately, the mood is set for a bit of slapstick comedy, and underlying meanings are not hard to decipher. The film has little depth, but the lack of seriousness makes this irrelevant. The stars play their roles with experience, taking the comedic approach to a sedate situation.
Tim Conway and Laurie Metcalf accompany Kinnear in the dungeon of the post office. Conway is Herman Dooley, a former postman who lost his route because he bit a dog. Rebecca Franzen (Metcalf) is a former workaholic whose nervous habits and infatuation with work mocks neurotic people in the labor environment.
Tom's other co-workers at the Dead Letter Office are a bit of the questionable sort, but they are the decent souls with good intentions. Handsome (Jon Seda) lives for soap operas, in which he one day hopes to star. The director is Lucille Barnett (Anna Maria Horsford), a more placid member of the bunch. Idris Abraham is 10 days from retirement and avoids the groups activities as much as possible.
Hector Elizondo also stars as Vladek Vidov, the department's supervisor. Elizondo once again mixes that authoritative tone with the playful spirit - and he does it successfully.
The plot plays off the selfishness in society. By pure carelessness, Tom sends his first paycheck to a group that has sent a letter to God for some help. His mistake sends him into shambles; his attempt to eliminate his gambling debt fails, while the mishap could make him a dead Samaritan instead of a financially secure one.
As more and more letters to God flood the office, citizens raise more eyebrows as to who is filling the sacred role. Although the possibility of getting caught magnifies Tom's troubles, it also unites the team even more.
In addition to his business troubles, Tom battles for the affections of a local coffee shop chef. His subtle innuendoes for single mother Gloria (Maria Pitillo) is often more fluff than anything substantial, but it's the romantic twist that completes the corny aspects of the plot.
With his innocent face and persuasive style, Kinnear does a stellar job as the con. Following his impressive big screen debut in last year's "Sabrina," Kinnear struggles to maintain his comedic talent from his "Talk Soup" days. His interaction with other characters is not always stimulating, as sometimes he is more humorous when he talks to himself.
The film's talent lies behind the camera as well. Gary Marshall, the same genius that brought us "Pretty Woman" and "Beaches," directs the postal misfits. Marshall unites the harsh and the sensitive and creates a jovial product.
"Dear God" has a few remote similarities to the Yule-tide classic "Miracle on 34th Street." Instead of Santa Claus being the key figure, however, God is the figure who unites the people in good cheer during the holiday season.
While "Dear God" does not thrive on superior acting nor an astounding plot, it does have good spirit and humorous scenes that do not make it a complete waste of time. The mix of Kinnear's humor and Conway's nervousness shows a great relationship, but the film is not carried by these two alone. The lofty tones relish on cheesy themes and much sentimental fluff, but "Dear God" is a fun comedy without excessive drama.
Greg Kinnear is just SO CUTE!