Friends of God: A Road Trip with Alexandra Pelosi

As a devout Democrat and daughter of Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, journalist/filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi clearly regards Christian evangelicals with a critical eye, so it's no surprise that Friends of God begins with a reminder that influential evangelist Ted Haggard (prominently featured in the film) was the focus of a sex and drug scandal shortly after Pelosi's road-trip documentary was completed. The message is clear—Christian evangelicals are as corruptible as anyone else—but apart from that, Pelosi remains remarkably balanced in exploring the religious right's ever-increasing political power. In this hour-shy HBO special, Pelosi travels across red states to meet a wide variety of evangelical Christians engaged in ambitious campaigns to influence national politics. While noting that 78% of evangelicals voted for George W. Bush (the subject of Pelosi's Emmy-winning documentary Journeys with George), Pelosi maintains a neutral (albeit skeptical) position as she gains impressive access to evangelical events and activities, including visits to: one of top-ranking televangelist Pastor Joel OSteen's "mega-church" broadcasts; a Christian miniature golf course; a drive-through church and truck-stop Bible study group; and one of the hugely successful "Battle Cry" concerts for Christian youth recruitment. While the late Rev. Jerry Falwell warns Hillary Clinton that no election can be won without evangelical support, Pelosi allows the viewer to see that viewpoint through Bible Belt billboards touting anti-gay, anti-evolution, and pro-life slogans as the indisputable word of God. Depending on the viewer's perspective, Friends of God is either a true-life horror show or a validation of God's will; either way, it's also a fascinating portrait of Christian conservatism at the peak of its power. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Shannon)