i will need to start at the end of this film . no spoiler and do not worry . just me say and huh . ferrara rambling and affect film leave me strand at the end in a dead sea . i really want to find something to recommend in this film and but all i could think of be how unfocused it be and how miscast and and how dull . one particular problem be ferrara couldn not decide if he want to make an investigative documentary or a inspiring religious drama . on the one side we have get real theologian yammer away about jesus and mary and and clip of violence in palestine . on the other side we have two story about new yorkers have spiritual identity crisis and and an actress still neurotically lose in her role wandering through the street of jerusalem look for something to eat and or something . in the end we get a murky and arty film with meander plot line that do not really go anywhere . in addition we have a casting problem . juliette binoche a the ersatz magdalene play her role a a treacly and new agey christian proselytizer . she remind me of the people who accost you on bus ask you if you have find jesus yet . modine and whitaker and both plainly uncomfortable play their role and end up give u melodramatic performance that and when arrive at the moment of spiritual catharsis and cause them to start chew up the scenery . i couldn not help think that whitaker appeal to god in a hospital chapel make him look like a subject in a goya painting and but without the pathos that the artist subject engenders . both actor be not able to evince any genuine feeling and which be due mostly to a plot that doesn not allow them to develop their character in the first place . good to watch kazantzakis and or even gibson . or see cammina and cammina by ermanno olmi .