The Best Two Years
by Scott Anderson
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: KC Clyde, Kirby HeyborneDirector: Scott Anderson
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: NTSC, Widescreen
Running Time: 109 minutes
Published: 2004
DVD Release Date: 2004-09-07
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Halestone Distribution
Movie Reviews of The Best Two Years
Movie Review: Best LDS-themed film yet!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
When I saw "God's Army" in 2000, I thought that film about Mormon missionaries would be hard to top because of its honest look at the LDS Church, its views, and its missionaries, but this film, "The Best Two Years" surpasses it in every way. For one big reason, the beautiful scenery of the Netherlands is a much welcome cast member itself. Setting the film in Europe, where conversion to any religion is a difficult challenge itself, the film focuses on the internal conflicts of the missionaries themselves, as they struggle with doubts about their faith and what they are doing.
KC Clyde's performance as the burnt out missionary on his last months in the mission is really stellar and the best of the actors in this film. He can convey a range of emotions without a word, just his facial expressions alone. He's not a bad guy at all, perhaps a little cynical about what he's in the Netherlands to do, so it is amusing to watch his transformation from a jaded missionary (who prefers to let his enthusiastic, "fresh of the plane" companion learn from experience the frustrations of looking for open minded people who will accept a lesson) into a sort of "born again" in his own faith. Throughout the film, KC Clyde's character is easily the coolest one of the four, and understandably the missionary anyone would want to be baptized by.
David Nibley offers much of the humor in the film, with his subplot of a waiting girlfriend back home and the humourous conflicts with his mission companion over letters and grammar (particularly his use of "flip" as a profanity). It builds to a scene that I found too over the top to be believable, as they completely tear up the apartment in a scuffle, just before the Mission President arrives unannounced. It seemed ridiculous to me that the whole apartment would be trashed, including their dinner table turned on its side, in such a short time or scuffle, though it has its comedic value. But that's only a minor complaint. The entire film works because of the talented cast. One does get the impression that we're actually watching four Missionaries at work, and even though I'm not LDS, I actually felt bad for them that most people would not give them the time of day. They do manage to entice one investigator into learning the lessons and that leads to an obvious conclusion of baptism (it is a Mormon film after all). When I left the theater after seeing this film, I actually felt guilty for the way I attempted to poke holes into Mormon theology those times I did meet with missionaries (I wasn't so much interested in joining their church as I was to rattle their faith with the illogic of their church's history and beliefs). They are just young men, away from home for two years and learning to come into their own testimony about their church. This film is an outstanding tribute to them and their trials. Highly recommended for anyone interested in learning more about the Mormon Missionaries, especially if you desire to take their lessons.
Summary of The Best Two Years
The Best Two Years tells the story of four missionaries who share an apartment in Amsterdam, Holland. Elder Rogers (KC Clyde) has only a couple of months to go on his mission, but his testimony and zeal for missionary work has suffered from hardships he experienced in letters from home. He is now only serving out his time with as little effort as possible when he is given a "greenie" from Oklahoma as a junior companion. Elder Calhoun (Kirby Heyborne) has the enthusiasm, innocence and naiveté of a new missionary, and the relationship between the two creates some very funny moments. These two elders share a typical missionary apartment with Elders van Pelt (Cameron Hopkin) and Johnson (David Nibley). Elder van Pelt fancies himself a rather handsome ladies man who is keeping an ongoing correspondence with three "girlfriends" back home. He is also very ambitious, and sees himself as quickly moving up the ranks of missionary leadership. Elder Johnson is Elder van Pelt's senior companion, and has a more "seasoned" view of being a missionary. He is looking forward to returning home and marrying his girlfriend, with whom he keeps an active correspondence going. Both elders have certain habits that tend to wear on the other.Similar DVD Movies
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