Our take
In Under the Banner of Heaven, Andrew Garfield plays Detective Jeb Pyre, a devout Mormon whose faith is shaken when he takes up a violent case that involves his church. When he discovers the gruesome death of a fellow worshipper and her 15-month-old child, he is driven mad by the choices he needs to make about his faith, his family, and the threat of fundamentalism these two pillars present. Terrifying and compelling, Under the Banner of Heaven is not for the weak-hearted, but it is recommended to anyone up for a good, challenging watch.
What it won
Golden Globes
2 noms
The story
A devout detective's faith is tested as he investigates a brutal murder that seems to be connected to an esteemed Utah family's spiral into LDS fundamentalism and their distrust in the government.
Elsewhere
"If “it often feels like True Detective” makes your ears perk up or “murder among the Mormons” is a tagline that speaks to you, then Under the Banner of Heaven will get the job done."
— Kathryn VanArendonk
"Under the Banner of Heaven isn’t anti-Mormon or anti-religion; it’s pro-investigation. Just as Jeb’s dogged pursuit of the killer matches his personal quest for spiritual peace, the series calls on viewers to interrogate their own convictions."
— Ben Travers
The details
Who picked it
Renee Cuisia is the lead curator at A Good Movie to Watch. In her spare time, she likes to watch K-dramas and analyze them to death. She's also seen You've Got Mail one too many times but is still convinced it's one of the greatest films out there.
