Saving Manhattan (1998)

Saving Manhattan is a darkly comedic narrative feature about a street preaching evangelist's mission to save Manhattan and his subsequent descent into the seedy underworld of the city. Writer/director David Pilot uses digital video and Super 8 film to document the perilous journey of devoted fundamentalist Christian CARL EGAN (Michael McCartney). Saving Manhattan blends contemporary politics and social issues with a prophetic pre 9-11 mind set. Saving Manhattan draws us into an intimate, yet critical portrayal of the misadventures of CARL EGAN, a lone missionary whose descent into the minefields of New York becomes a struggle to survive. Abandoned by his idol and mentor TODD (David Pilot), then rejected by his beloved KIRSTEN (Amy Poehler), chaos rules when CARL decides to leave the church and continue on his own mission to save New York City. In this rapidly unraveling, darkly comic, cautionary tale, Saving Manhattan takes a close look at religious extremism in a city of diversity and tolerance and follows one young man's journey into the descent of his own personal Hell. Saving Manhattan portrays the psychological landscape of wayward Christian soldier CARL EGAN in his struggle to make sense of God, New York City and himself. Saving Manhattan is both an amusing, compassionate study of a wayward street preacher and a reflection of the changing perceptions towards evangelism & fundamentalism in our culture.