Joshua Reviews Blair Treu’s Meet The Mormons [Theatrical Review]

When one is asked about their knowledge of the Mormon faith, various things may pop into one’s head. Broad things ranging from the idea of polygamy to their magic underwear are often topics of discussion, with very few people having much knowledge of what it is actually like to be a member of The Church Of Latter Day Saints. One of the more controversial faiths in the eyes of popular culture, there are a great number of stigmas that come with being a member of this faith. However, a new documentary is hoping to help spur a change in that department.

Entitled Meet The Mormons, director Blair Treu looks to spark a change by crafting this globetrotting documentary looking into the lives of six Mormon LDS Church members, all of which give an interesting look at the diverse membership of this often-stereotyped church.

And diverse this story truly is. The film introduces us to a range of characters, ranging from a female MMA fighter and her husband to a head coach for a major college football team, from a legendary WWII hero to an Atlanta-based Mormon bishop, all attempting to tell their own story. Thankfully, instead of truly trying to push the Mormon faith upon its viewers, each of these stories instead come across as neo-character studies, attempting to broaden one’s view of this oft-stereotyped religion. Be it the story of how a football coach mixes his faith with his career or how one woman converted to the faith despite being raised in a Catholic household, each story has a new face, with a new journey through this church and religion. It’s an admittedly pro-Mormon picture, but at just a tick above 70 minutes, the film never preaches or hopes to bring converts to the faith.

Beautifully made and shot across the globe, the film is a tad more than your typical independent documentary. A glossy and occasionally breathtaking picture (the Costa Rica-set sequences are stunningly made), Treu’s film is not so much a crowd-pleasing documentary as a somewhat esoteric bit of sociological discussion. Not all that informative with regards to its actual source topic, the film instead offers up a glimpse into those who follow its tenants. Viewers with only cursory knowledge of the actual faith with the hopes of learning won’t have much to chew on, but those looking to open their views up to the demographics of the faith will find a lot to hang on to here.

Clocking in at barely 75 minutes, Treu’s new film is a solid, if ultimately slight, look at a broad base of members of the LDS Church. Brisk and entertaining, the film won’t change anyone’s opinion of the Mormon faith, but thankfully that’s not its intention. Instead it offers up six slices of life that proves to be diverse and global. Beautifully made, Meet The Mormons won’t reach a great deal of audiences but for those interested in religious discussions, this is something worth hunting down. Despite having the pacing of an infomercial, there is a level of craft that makes this worth a watch.