Eric Roberts is Pastor John Carell, who finds himself re-examining his faith in God and God’s goodness after the death of his brother.
His brother is gunned down on Main Street in Parable and left there until morning in a pool of his own blood.
Will God take care of the evil doers? Or will the pastor have to pick up his six-gun and avenge his brother’s death himself?
As the good pastor ponders the questions, he recalls parables that have played out in the town’s past.
A thieving employee named Brad is forgiven by his employer, Mr. Hightower, only to be done in by his own greed.
And a young married woman (Lily Lei) who watched her husband gunned down in the street, has to resort to threats to get justice on his behalf.
His pondering complete, the pastor picks up his six-gun and heads out the church doors.
Eric Roberts as Pastor John Corell, contemplating revenge on his own in A Town Called Parable (2022)
Lily Lei as Vassie Smith, praying for justice on her dead husband’s behalf in A Town Called Parable (2022)
Review:
What the hell was that? Certainly not a Western I’d recommend anyone pay money to watch.
Eric Roberts is asked to carry the bulk of the film with his monologue as he paces the floors of his church.
He’s not up to the task.
If might have helped if the parables that play out around his monologue — the lost lamb and the lost coin, for instance — seemed to have any connection to the film’s central plot.
Of course, better cinematography and audio production would have helped too.
The most effective segment — or I should say the most effective cast member — is Lily Lei, the new widow forced to act slightly psychotic in order to prod Parable’s judge into action.
Barry Hazen as Mr. Hightower, forgiving an employee for his thievery in A Town Called Parable (2022)
Rich Henrich as Brad Hensley, a man caught stealing from his boss in A Town Called Parable (2022)
Directed by;
Scott Hester
Cast:
Eric Roberts … Pastor John Corell
Rich Henrich … Brad Hensley
Lily Lei … Vassie Smith
Mike Gaga … Judge Hawthorne
Vivienne Eldridge … Bethany
Barry Hazen … Mr. Hightower
Bill Capskas … Assayer
Tobiah Powell … Dale Ryder
Chris Kelly … Ray Smith
Jeff Dolecek … Marcus Darby
Kristine Fambrough … Silvia Demorra
Randy Mackey … Antonio Philip
Zak Szczech … Jesse Watkins
Thomas Conklin … Joseph McNight
Cindy Cook … Teresa
Greg S. Perry … Chet Wilda
Runtime: 70 min.
Mike Gaga as Judge Hawthorne, about to have an unusual encounter with a murdered man’s widow in A Town Called Parable (2022)
Kristine Fambrough as Silvia Demorra, finally finding her single lost coin in A Town Called Parable (2022)
Memorable lines:
Pastor John Corell, speaking to God: “I know you repay evil. I know you can. But right now, I have no faith to believe that you will. You know I will not wait for you if you tarry too long.”
Card player to Dale Ryder: “If his brains were dynamite, he couldn’t blow his nose.”
Mr. Hightower, of Bradley: “What about I feed him to my hogs? Only thing is, my hogs don’t eat chicken.”
Vassie Smith, who finds the judge sleeping alone: “Not even a dog to keep you company. Not even the most loyal animal wants anything to do with you, I guess.”
Vivienne Eldridge as Bethany, asking for the pastor’s advice on how to deal with her husband’s drinking in A Town Called Parable (2022)
Chris Coble as the rancher searching for a single lost lamb in A Town Called Parable (2022)
Kylee Wales as the young girl who nearly makes off with a lost lamb in A Town Called Parable (2022)
Lily Lei as Vassie Smith pays a visit to the judge of Parable in A Town Called Parable (2022)
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