Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul feels so targeted against a specific type of megachurch pastor that audiences may wonder if it’s based on a true story. The 2022 indie satire film follows the story of Pastor Lee-Curtis, played by Sterling K. Brown, and his unshakable wife and first lady Trinitie, played by Regina Hall. These two Southern Baptist leaders watch their religious empire fall in the wake of a scandal surrounding Lee-Curtis, and their ensuing attempt to rebuild their 25,000-strong church with only a handful of devout followers plays out in a mock-documentary style.
First-time writer-director Adamma Ebo adapted her 2018 short film of the same name and produced the feature film alongside her sister Adanne. Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul was executive produced by Nope and Get Out filmmaker Jordan Peele and actor Daniel Kaluuya. The comedy of the film is elevated greatly by the performances of its leads, particularly Regina Hall, whose tenure in the Scary Movie franchise makes her feel right at home in another satirical comedy.
Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul is loosely based on real events. Scandals surrounding U.S. megachurches are numerous, but there was a particular fall from grace in 2010 involving the Atlanta pastor Eddie Long that served as inspiration for the Ebo sisters’ film. Drawing from their own lifelong skepticism of religion, the Ebos used Long’s story to craft an exploration of the kind of people who stay devoted to someone who has been so irrevocably accused in church leadership.
The Real Life Inspirations Behind Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul
The mockumentary style of Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul owes a lot to the way Dunder Mifflin is filmed in The Office, but the real-life inspiration for the story is much less fun. Bishop Eddie Long was accused of sexual misconduct with teenage boys in his ministry’s youth program. The young men who spoke out about their abuse alleged Long was grooming them during his “mentorship” through opulent gifts, such as expensive cars and exotic trips, while they were under 18. Long’s story and the general lavish culture of Southern Baptist megachurches fueled the Ebo sisters in the making of Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul.
While the content, style, and satirical angle of Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul are reminiscent of shows like The Righteous Gemstones and Succession, the Ebo sisters’ decision to build their story, however loosely, around a specific scandal and aftermath helps set their film apart. Pastors like the fictional Lee-Curtis and the factual Eddie Long are familiar to many, and it’s important that they be held up to the light for examination. But in Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul, the Ebo sisters find the people supporting these men, like Trinitie, to be equally if not more fascinating.