Hall and Brown stabilize the uneven comedy ‘Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul.’

As it attempts to satirize the more hypocritical aspects of megachurch culture in America, the critical eye of the new comedy “Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul.” often loses its focus.

That happens, in part, because of the charismatic presence of its lead roles, played by Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown. They’re so good at piercing into the humanity of their characters that it becomes easy to empathize with them despite the characters’ obvious hypocrisy.

Brown plays Pastor Lee-Curtis Childs, the leader of a Baptist megachurch forced to close after a string of public controversies. His wife, Trinitie (Hall), sticks by him after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, and now the couple hope to capitalize on the PR from the interest of renowned documentary filmmaker in order to reopen the church doors on Easter Sunday.

That filmmaker does not appear onscreen, and about half of “Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul.” is presented as footage and interviews captured by this documentary crew. The mockumentary style (think “The Office”), however, is inconsistent, and the film contains several dramatic scenes between Trinitie and Lee-Curtis out of view of that documentary crew.

Without a clear visual strategy for distinguishing between the two styles, “Honk for Jesus” hinders its own dramatic momentum when it asks its audience to transition between the more comedic mockumentary moments and the “unfilmed” scenes between the couple.

Fortunately, some of the best moments of the movie stem from the off-camera scenes between Hall and Brown, where the cracks of their marriage become more exposed. While comfortable with the wealth they’ve accrued through the church, both Trinitie and Lee-Curtis often believe wholeheartedly in their mission of helping people through a connection with God. Lee-Curtis, for all his apparent sins, desperately wants to be the man he pretends to be, and Trinitie at least appears to be motivated by a willingness to forgive her husband’s transgressions.

Brown gets the showier of the roles, as the film commits several scenes to Lee-Curtis rehearsing his big comeback sermon. It’s easy to see why so many were attracted to his church in the first place, and, when he’s in the middle of a sermon anyway, the words sound as pure gospel.

Hall, an especially gifted comic actor, is tasked with the trickier role, as Trinitie’s wavering faith in her husband becomes the backbone of the movie’s conflict. Trinitie is willing to do so much for Lee-Curtis, but it comes at great emotional cost. Hall’s funny in the role, but it’s the tragic, heartbroken side of Trinitie that resonates most, and Hall brings so much nuance to the film’s quietly dramatic turns.

“Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul.” is the feature debut of writer-director Adamma Ebo, who adapted her own 2018 short film of the same name. While the constant shifts between traditional narrative and mockumentary styles make for an uneven final product, Ebo’s script, combined with the performances, weaves surprising humanity into the controversial subject matter. Yes, Lee-Curtis and Trinitie Childs are exploitative in their pursuits, but they still suffer relatable emotional consequences for their choices. That adds another layer to what the film ultimately wants to say about the megachurch culture and the very real people involved.

“Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul.” is now playing in theaters and streaming on Peacock.

• • •

Tyler Wilson is a member of the International Press Academy and has been writing about movies and pop culture for Inland Northwest publications since 2000, including a regular column in The Press since 2006. He can be reached at twilson@cdapress.com.