The Great And Terrible Day Of The Lord

The entire cast of The Great And Terrible Day Of The Lord is exactly two people: McCoy and Grier. As such, if McCoy as Michael/God couldn’t believable deliver his lines and feel benevolent enough to be a deity, then it wouldn’t matter how strong a screenplay he’d been handed. Luckily, the actor is more than up to the task. Each time Michael “wakes up” from his Godspells, he really sells the befuddlement and absolute concern for what he did/said to Gabby (which he doesn’t recall). Likewise, as God, he projects a warmth, kindness, and level-headedness that makes him feel like the idealized Lord. It is a stunning turn, and the fact this is only McCoy’s fourth credited role boggles the mind.

Grier is his equal in every way. She vacillates from romantic to confused, from angry to scared, from frustrated to trusting with such ease it stuns. After a sleepless first night, Gabby asks Michael (who’s currently himself) for some privacy before leaving the cabin early. While understandable, the way she plays the scene is absolutely heartbreaking, as she never blames her boyfriend. Instead, she recognizes that something might be wrong with him and convinces him to seek therapy when they get back home. Grier maintains that affection throughout, which helps audiences focus on the most important aspects of the script and its themes.

“…sure does feel epic.”

For a film set in a single location, The Great And Terrible Day Of The Lord sure does feel epic. Thanks to clever blocking and perfect lighting on the part of Mason, Runciman, and DP Tom Dowler, the feature looks great. The use of shadows to help indicate who Michael is at any moment works better than one might expect. The cool lighting across him versus the rather drab humdrum of the everyday is subtle, but it sells the split personality (or actual events) nicely. The filmmakers know exactly when to go big versus keeping things intimate. A dinner conversation about the Garden of Eden is fascinating, as its initially shot wide but gets closer and closer to the characters as the discussion continues.

The Great And Terrible Day Of The Lord is a movie about religion, but that does not mean it wants to convert any audience member to Christianity. In fact, throughout the proceedings, God tells Gabby the choice to believe him or not is up to her; he won’t force her hand. This allows its message to be received by anyone watching. That it is expertly delivered by brilliant actors and perfectly directed is just icing on the thematic cake.