''Mobsters and Mormons'' is a 2005 American

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

written, directed and produced by

John Moyer John Moyer (born November 30, 1973) is an American musician, best known as the bassist and backing vocalist for the heavy metal band Disturbed. Taking over in 2004 after Steve "Fuzz" Kmak was fired, Moyer has played bass guitar with the group s ...

, who also plays a role in the film. It is also produced by Kurt Hale and Dave Hunter of

Halestorm Entertainment Halestorm Entertainment was a film production and distribution company based in Orem, Utah. It was founded in January 2001 by Kurt Hale and Dave Hunter, who were both film majors at Brigham Young University. Halestorm films were largely create ...

. The plot concerns a mafioso who moves to Utah after being placed in the

Witness Protection Program Witness protection is security provided to a threatened person providing testimonial evidence to the justice system, including defendants and other clients, before, during, and after a trial, usually by police. While a witness may only require p ...

Plot

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, mobster Carmine "Beans" Pasquale is arrested by the

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...

. While he is being interviewed, the FBI agents say that they have enough to put him away for twenty to twenty-five years. Carmine agrees to talk and is placed in the Witness Protection Program, along with his wife Gina and son Vincent. They move to Happy Valley, Utah and assume the identities of George, Linda and Patrick Cheeseman. What follows is culture shock on both sides between the local Mormons and the devoutly Catholic Pasquales/Cheesemans. Eventually, the mob discovers Carmine's whereabouts and sends two killers after him. A subplot involves the church politics in the local Mormon congregation (or "

ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

") as the bishop moves away due to a death in the family and a new bishop must be selected.

Main cast

Mark DeCarlo Mark DeCarlo is an American actor, television host, comedian, travel, internet personality, and foodie expert. He is currently known for being a contributor to WLS-TV morning show ''Windy City Live'', a locally produced Chicago program that re ...

as Carmine "The Beans" Zindelli Pasquale (George Cheeseman) *Jeanette Puhich as Gina Pasquale (Linda Cheeseman) *Clayton Taylor as Vincent Pasquale (Patrick Cheeseman) * Scott Christopher as Michael Jaymes *Britani Bateman as Kate Jaymes *

Olesya Rulin Olesya Yurivna Rulina (russian: Oлeся Юрьевна Pулина; born March 17, 1986) is a Russian-American actress. She is best known for co-starring in all three films of the ''High School Musical'' franchise as Kelsi Nielsen. She also star ...

as Julie Jaymes *

Jan Broberg Felt Jan Broberg (July 31, 1962) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. As a child, Broberg was kidnapped on two occasions by a family friend, at ages twelve and fourteen. The experience has been documented in her mother Mary Ann Broberg's book, ...

as Louise Means *

as Agent Tuttle *

Michael Kagan Michael Kagan is an American actor. Career He has guest starred in number of notable television series, including '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'', ''Babylon 5'', '' Step by Step'', ''Seinfeld'', '' ER'', '' Tracey Takes On. ...

as Angello Marcello

Development

Britani Bateman, who plays Michael Jaymes' wife, was pregnant while filming this movie. Writer/director John E. Moyer wrote the part especially for Bateman. When casting the film he learned of her pregnancy and reworked the script to have her character be pregnant as well. Originally, director John E. Moyer was interested in having LDS actor Dave Nibley from ''

The Best Two Years ''The Best Two Years'' is a 2003 dramedy film written and directed by Scott S. Anderson. It is based on the stage play ''The Best Two Years of My Life'', also by Anderson. It portrays the experience of four LDS missionaries living in an apartmen ...

'' play Agent Tuttle, but Nibley's schedule conflicted with the filming. Moyer himself stepped in to play the role.

Box office

The film was made on a budget of $350,000 but only brought in $409,604 in total box office revenues. It was however, released to only a limited number of theaters throughout Utah, Arizona, and Idaho; an area predominantly known among LDS circles as the Jello Belt.

References

External links