Reception
Saved! received mixed to positive reviews from critics; at critics aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently holds a 60% rating of 82 positive reviews against 54 negative ones.
Positive reviews praised the film's blending of teen comedy with serious issues not normally associated with the genre. Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert gave the film three and a half out of four stars, calling it "a pointed satire in the form of a teen comedy". He and his partner Richard Roeper awarded the film "Two Thumbs Up!" on their show Ebert & Roeper and the Movies.
Claudia Puig of USA Today wrote: "Not only is Saved! subversively funny, it is unexpectedly sweet." David Sterritt of the Christian Science Monitor called it, "One of the season's brightest attractions." Randy Shulman of the Washington D.C. Metro Weekly said, "Saved! hits precisely the right balance between commercial appeal and independent fortification, between bold satire and abiding respect for its subject." Film Threat's Don. R Lewis praised it: "Equal parts satire, spoof and teen comedy, Saved! is just a sweet and funny movie that starts off with bite but settles into an honest feeling of happiness and acceptance for all types of people and their choices." Clint Morris of Movie Hole wrote that "As witty as it’s well performed and as novel as it is daring...God Bless Mandy Moore and her fantastic set of acting chops"! Apollo Guide's J. Allen Speer wrote: "Ends up genuinely thought-provoking while putting the “fun” back in 'fundamentalist'." Brian McKay of eFilm Critic wrote: "while it offers some hilariously scathing commentary on the inherent dangers of hypocrisy . . . above all the film preaches a message of tolerance to both sides of the fence."
Other critics, however, criticized the film for alleged anti-Christian views. Slant Magazine was overwhelmingly negative on this issue, giving the film only half a star out of five and calling it the worst movie of the year.
Saved! grossed $10,156,933 worldwide at the box office.
Read more about this topic: Saved!
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