Synopsis
“Sarah Silverman is the most outrageously funny woman alive. If you want proof of that declarative sentence, see Jesus Is Magic, a Silverman symposium that is part concert film (shot last year at North Hollywood's El Portal Theater), part comedy skits with Brian Posehn and Bob Odenkirk, part song parodies and part message from Mars or whatever planet still warms to jokes about 9/11, the Holocaust, grandma's anal rape and sex education ("The best time to have a baby is when you're a black teenager"). Except for Silverman -- the twisted man's hottie -- the film isn't much to look at. But director Liam Lynch knows to keep the focus on the star. Like Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor, Silverman laughs at racism to undercut its power. "I hope the Jews did kill Christ," she rages. "I'd do it again." Jesus, indeed.” —Peter Travers, Rolling Stone



Sarah Silverman is a comedienne who doesn't just court controversy, she positively wallows in it. Memorably putting in a brief yet discomforting and highly memorable appearance in THE ARISTOCRATS, Silverman offers viewers the chance to witness her stand-up act with JESUS IS MAGIC. The show itself was taped in 2004, and is interjected with off-set skits, songs, and general goofing around from Silverman and her friends in the comedy world. As soon as Silverman takes to the stage, sacred cows come tumbling down, and continue to do so throughout the set. Race, sex, class, 9/11, rape, the Holocaust--no topic is considered untouchable for the seemingly fearless Silverman. Amazingly, she also manages to come across as likeable and even prone to bouts of insecurity ("I just want you to think I'm thin," she pleads at one point), which undoubtedly makes some of the stronger material much easier to swallow.



Director Liam Lynch, who has worked with Tenacious D, and made a memorable foray into the music industry with his song "United States of Whatever," keeps the visual trickery to a minimum, simply shooting Silverman with a basic crew and including a few swooping shots over the heads of the audience. The skits peppered throughout bring cult TV shows such as KIDS IN THE HALL and MR. SHOW to mind (Bob Odenkirk from the latter makes a brief appearance), and nicely break up the stand-up routine. Silverman never explains her humor or feels the need to put in a disclaimer to make everything seem okay, which is a device that not only makes some of the laughter a guilt-edged pleasure, it also forces the audience to think about many of the issues she is tackling, making Silverman's act enjoyable, unique, and deliciously funny.