Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. Review: Regina Hall Shines in Dark Religious Comedy
“The pastor may be the head and face of the congregation, but the neck and the spine and the structure, that is all the first lady. And so I just need to make sure we are structurally sound.” -First Lady Trinitie Childs
Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. follows Regina Hall as Trinitie Childs, wife of preacher Lee-Curtis (Sterling K. Brown) and First Lady of Wander to Greater Paths Baptist Church, as she tries her damnedest to keep things in her life “structurally sound.”
An egomaniacal husband hiding and denying his homosexuality and misconduct, a fleeing congregation and the dissolution of her community, along with the rise of a rival megachurch are some of the challenges God seems to be throwing her way.
If only “praying on it” was enough.
The scandal that rocks Wander to Greater Paths, and subsequently, Trinitie’s whole world, is all her husband’s making. News clips divulge the church and its leaders’ legal woes at the beginning, giving viewers just an inkling to what brought them public disgrace.
Lee-Curtis’ behavior throughout supports the allegations as well as fills in the blanks of Trinitie’s obvious unhappiness and inner emotional turmoil.
The documentary aspect plays into both the comedy and the drama of such a story. Firstly, it feels like a Christopher Guest-type mockumentary with on-camera interviews with quirky characters. Then, it moves into darker territory with its content all while keeping up the comedy, bringing the film Drop Dead Gorgeous to mind.
Trinitie’s monologue at the end—in mime face paint, no less—really brings the drama part of it home. I go from cracking up at Hall’s comedic facial expressions to feeling complete devastation on Trinitie’s behalf.
Talk about range!
Trinitie: Let me just tell you a little something about praise mimes. When it comes down to it, they are entertainers. A side show. And Lee-Curtis is a talent, a star. But, he’s so raw, he needs someone to harness it all. I did that.
Her hard work and accomplishments get overshadowed by her bombastic husband, and his sins ultimately bring them down.
A question from the documentary director, who had remained silent up until the end, makes her crack her facade and literally smear her mime face paint, which becomes a really poignant visual. Hall gives it her all, all the way through, driving both the comedy and drama.
Sterling K. Brown embodies the enigmatic narcissism of Lee-Curtis Childs extremely well.
Lee-Curtis: Jesus Christ is all about the shock factor.
It seems impossible to harness that raw energy, giving Trinitie’s acheivement there even more weight. He’s fighting for his former glory—his ego—while she’s fighting for everything they built—her life—mostly through her grit and tenacity and ability to put up with Lee-Curtis.
Trinitie Childs is the soul of Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. Her journey is the heart of the story, and I would gladly honk my horn for her.
Stray Observations:
- Lee-Curtis and Trinitie rapping along to “Knuck if You Buck” by C. Mob is a thing of beauty.
- Aria telling the camera she loves the theater after her “performance” is such a funny little moment.
- Nicole Beharie and Conphidance nail their roles as the young pastoring couple, the Sumpters.
What did you think of Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. is streaming on Peacock.
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Erin Allen
Erin is a former script supervisor for film and television. She's an avid fan of middle aged actresses, dark dramas, and irreverent comedies. She loves to read actual books and X-Files fan fiction. Her other passions include pointing out feminist issues, shipping Mulder and Scully, and collecting pop culture mugs.