From Deseret News archives:
American Grace
And the script has holes. A filmmaker is one of those rare individuals who gets to relive his high school days and change the ending. So the movie is based in part on Taylor's own life and partly on how he says events should have gone.
Utah director/actor Richard Dutcher plays a kindly cop.
The story line follows a group of mostly mischievous California LDS teenagers through a day, starting with early morning seminary, attending school at Grace Davis High School and ending with the rescue of a classmate and death-by-train of a drug dealer.
The title draws from the school name and from an encounter between Dave and a beaten, homeless man. Dave helps the man, then gives him all his money.
As the story unfolds, two of the teens engage in vengeance against a rival high school prior to the "big game," a concert following the game and cruising scenes leading up to the snatching of their friend and the drug dealer's death. As the movie concludes, Dave and his friends learn the meaning of grace.
Some of the implausibilities in the film: The cruising scenes were a rolling car show. Nearly every car was beautifully restored or tricked out. Most teenagers can't afford vehicles like that.
Also problematic was one character's ability to call the pilot of a radio station helicopter from a pay phone, convince the pilot to land and pick him up to search for the drug dealer-kidnapper driving a customized hearse, then from the air shoot a gun out of the man's hand with a potato bazooka.
Yet Taylor scores high marks for entertainment.
American Grace
Produced by: Curtis Taylor
Starring: Richard Dutcher, Michael Sorensen, Ryan Sevy, Loren DeLong.
Rating: Not rated
Length: 88 minutes
E-mail: rodger@desnews.com
Recent comments
I've been looking for a copy of this movies also. I owned a car and...
Dennis Larson | March 21, 2009 at 10:48 p.m.
I was actually "in" the movie as well, somewhere in the crowd at the...
Robyn | Aug. 21, 2008 at 5:15 a.m.
no one I know can find a copy of this film. the only people to have...
krystal flood | June 8, 2008 at 3:49 p.m.
- Offer Taliban chance to end fight 8:34 a.m.
- Party crashers had no invitation 8:33 a.m.
- Iran releases 5 British sailors 8:26 a.m.
- Gates, Mullen & Clinton pitch plan 8:25 a.m.
- Oil falls below $78 on supply jump 8:23 a.m.
- Stocks mixed after jobs report 8:22 a.m.
- Utes prepare to go bowling 6:15 a.m.
- Unbeaten BYU takes trip to Logan 6:14 a.m.
- Wildcats dangerous foe for Utes 6:04 a.m.
- Flash get dramatic win over D-Fenders 6:01 a.m.
- 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
- BYU says Hall incident resolved
- Witness: Mitchell wanted attention
- Max Hall: a fixture in rivalry lore
- 'Grandfamilies' a growing trend
- MWC '09 season in review
- Find joy in life, Bishop Burton says
- Mitchell called intelligent, controlling
- Daughter: Mitchell fed me my pet
- Jazz ready to be without Harpring
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
906 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
483 - Hall reprimanded by MWC
404 - Max Hall issues apology
387 - Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
349 - Utes won't respond to Hall
276 - BYU says Hall incident resolved
238 - 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
164 - BYU is champion of the state
143 - Religion in politics is tiresome
131
My husband was teaching his 6th-grade class in Salt Lake last year when...
"Religion is quickly wearing out its welcome in the public forums. I would...
It is time for a change. Bennett a nice person but we need someone in...
I liked about 97% of the talk to war, I did not like the part about a full...
The problem with polls, rankings, and formulas instead of a playoff, is that...
I think it is time to layoff the question mark key & try to figure out how to...
"Best of luck to a team coached by a bunch of BYU grads!" What you forgot...
I do believe, we own that color. :) And it is so nice of you to have a crush...
Once again the Republican party does not disappoint and acts as a good...
You are entering the land of no return with a victory, unless you call...
what the Utah defense could have accomplished this year if Kruger and Smith...


