'Oh My God?': Big questions left unanswered

Bill Maher's "Religulous" demonstrated that there's an audience for documentaries that treat religion with skepticism. Peter Rodger's "Oh My God?" could, all by itself, reduce that audience by quite a margin.

While Maher's film was no classic, it was occasionally provocative and funny — qualities that are mostly missing from Rodger's hodgepodge.

Best-known as a commercial British photographer, Rodger depends more on star power than insight in selecting his interviewees. Hugh Jackman, apparently caught off-guard, comes up with some familiar bromides about the nature of God. Bob Geldof defends his right to be an atheist; Jack Thompson doesn't believe in an afterlife ("This is it," he insists); while Ringo Starr concludes that "God is love." Rodger himself occasionally turns up to talk about the politicization of religion.

Occasionally the filmmaker runs into an unexpected gift. Dale Launer, the screenwriter of "My Cousin Vinny," claims to be an atheist who lapses only when he's taking LSD. But does Rodger follow up on this bit? Not a chance.

Also of interest is David Copperfield, who is mistaken for a miracle worker by a rich man who wants to cure his son's headaches. He's ready to spread his wealth to the famous magician, but Copperfield, while tempted, finally can't take advantage of the situation.

Again, a follow-up would help, but Rodger is racing off to another location, another interviewee. Questions are batted about, few are answered and some are lost in translation.

Why did God pick on New Orleans? Did man create God, or was it the other way around? Rodger's travels take him to remote parts of Africa, gorgeous Tibet, divided Israel, haunted Guatemala and, inevitably, India. Indeed, "Oh My God?" is most palatable as a well-photographed travelogue.

John Hartl: johnhartl@yahoo.com