Credit where credit is due: 'youth minister' Justin Fatica found a market niche for himself, and is milking it for all it's worth. Fatica is a 'born again' Catholic from a VERY wealthy family who got into all sorts of trouble as a teenager and then turned it into a brand during his 20s. Now he lives a comfortable existence of his own whilst abusing impressionable teenagers with his Hard as Nails Ministry, which seems to involve tremendous amounts of shouting, violence (in one scene, he seems to be kicking one of his students; in another, he allows someone to hammer him repeatedly on the back with a folding chair), and abuse of 'the other' disguised as empathy. This film is completely non-judgemental, but Justin's borderline psychotic behavior and poor little rich bad-boy schtick tells you everything you need to know about this New Jersey Elmer Gantry. Fascinating and deeply disturbing.
5 Reviews
Great intentions but.....
pattyofwales1 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
While this is a captivating and fascinating documentary (I was totally cheering for this guy at first) the man has fabricated a history for himself.When it's revealed that he comes from a very affluent family I lost my faith in him. I Am a Christian who was molested as a child and have been emotionally broken. To have this guy yelling at me and possibly physically attacking me would leave with absolute fear and powerlessness. Why does he have to yell? Doesn't he realize people with anxiety issues will be traumatized by his approach? He is still a kid (younger than my daughter) and he's going to preach and yell at me? I don't think so. This is what unmanaged ADHD looks like. Perhaps a bit of Adderal is called for here? He's bulldozing through life without any true self reflection. He would probably be perfect for as Christian boot camp manager or outreach for troubled boys(is there such a thing?) but to the sad anxious individual he would be poison. Try living your life Justin and tune it down. At 60 you're going to be fantastic although I would totally cut the Catholic guilt thing i.e. Masturbation. This is 2017 not 1900.
Interesting character study of the fundamentalist mindset
return_to_cinder20 December 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Justin Fatica is a born again Catholic, a reformed troublemaker and masturbator (yes this comes up), and son of a very wealthy family.
He has "found his life's calling" in being a minister and we are told his story in this engaging documentary.
Not applying himself in school and making questionable ethical choices, among other things, led Justin to "give himself to God" when he was around 19 years old. Apparently God "touched" this young man, if both in the heart and the head.
Proselytizing is game one for Justin he loves Christ with all his heart and darned if the world isn't going to know about it he even met his wife when he went to her dorm room jabbering for Jesus.
Many people really like Justin and Hard As Nails ministries like them enough to give thousands of dollars - but of course, others don't. The Catholic organization of Vermont bans Justin from preaching because of his sideshow tendencies in "bringing the word" - but no problem there - Hard As Nails will just go into the fundamentalist protestant churches from now on.
The preaching method that gets Justin banned is quite the interesting package. If he isn't letting an assistant bang him in the back with a fold-up metal chair Wrestlemania-style while he implores an impressionable young mind with evangelical platitudes, he is calling overweight girls fat (yes, the exact word he uses) in order so that God can see their inner beauty.
Over the course of the show, Justin even has an encounter with an "angry atheist" which could have been even better if the nonbeliever hadn't been quite plastered and reduced to spouting curses.
This documentary is enlightening, thought-provoking, and very revealing about the mindset, or lack thereof, of the American fundamentalist believer.
He has "found his life's calling" in being a minister and we are told his story in this engaging documentary.
Not applying himself in school and making questionable ethical choices, among other things, led Justin to "give himself to God" when he was around 19 years old. Apparently God "touched" this young man, if both in the heart and the head.
Proselytizing is game one for Justin he loves Christ with all his heart and darned if the world isn't going to know about it he even met his wife when he went to her dorm room jabbering for Jesus.
Many people really like Justin and Hard As Nails ministries like them enough to give thousands of dollars - but of course, others don't. The Catholic organization of Vermont bans Justin from preaching because of his sideshow tendencies in "bringing the word" - but no problem there - Hard As Nails will just go into the fundamentalist protestant churches from now on.
The preaching method that gets Justin banned is quite the interesting package. If he isn't letting an assistant bang him in the back with a fold-up metal chair Wrestlemania-style while he implores an impressionable young mind with evangelical platitudes, he is calling overweight girls fat (yes, the exact word he uses) in order so that God can see their inner beauty.
Over the course of the show, Justin even has an encounter with an "angry atheist" which could have been even better if the nonbeliever hadn't been quite plastered and reduced to spouting curses.
This documentary is enlightening, thought-provoking, and very revealing about the mindset, or lack thereof, of the American fundamentalist believer.
Christian's are smug?
outofvogue184 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Justin is 27 years old and a preacher. How much does he know about the bible? How many times has he read the bible? He is unordained it is unclear how much he knows about scripture. He seems like a nice guy, but I personally don't want some young guy preaching to me about life when he himself has not fully lived it. He is every reason all other religions find Christian's smug. He comes off as a homeless crack addict when he approaches people on the street. In fact about 20 min in he starts talking to some guy on the street about getting "saved" and the guy told him that he was brainwashed, which seems a very accurate description of Justin. The main idea that Justin conveys is "JESUS wants you to suffer for him." Overall, i feel that if you want to see a movie about some guy babbling on about his twisted untrained and non Bible related views, than this is the movie for you.
Love in Action
rob_fearnside19 September 2008
Wow!! Wow!! and More Wow!! I was a drug addict and product of the hedonistic 60's. I only wish that there was a Justin coming to my High School then perhaps my journey to Hell and back may have been avoided. Praise God for Justin and his 'Hard As Nails Ministry'. This doc totally blew me away. Justin's compassion and love for his Lord and others is evident in every action of his life.If his critics took a similar stance with their lives in this fallen world then perhaps there would be no need for ministries like Justin's anymore. Sure he came from an affluent family but this to me only substantiates the authenticity of his commitment and ministry to save the street kids. He could have chosen the rich easy path but like his Jesus chose the hard path. How could this be milking it for gain? If only a few more people did similar things with their lives how much better off would our world be then?
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