Overview
A whimsical journey unfolds as a young girl takes on the divine to reshape humanity's fate.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- surreal
- witty
- irreverent
- quirky movie night
- arthouse film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's surreal, subversive, and funny reworking of biblical themes, while finding its originality more consistent than its narrative discipline.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ea challenges her father's divine authority by rewriting the rules of creation and assembling a new group of messengers.
God is depicted as a cruel, petty domestic tyrant whose daughter attempts to dismantle his arbitrary laws.
Ea seeks six messengers, and the film follows the distinct human experiences shaped by their encounters with divine intervention.
God lives as a cynical writer in a Brussels apartment, turning cosmic creation into an absurd family household.
Films like The Brand New Testament, and why
Dogma
surreal fantasy, irreverent religious satire, and playful philosophical comedy
Amélie
whimsical magical realism, eccentric characters, and humane surrealism
Being John Malkovich
darkly comic fantasy, metaphysical themes, and inventive visual storytelling
The Lobster
subversive spiritual premise, absurdist humor, and emotionally sincere ensemble storytelling
Movie Details
- Director
- Jaco Van Dormael
- Release Date
- 2015-09-02
- Runtime
- 114 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (1794)
Cast
- Pili Groyne
- Benoît Poelvoorde
- Yolande Moreau
- Catherine Deneuve
- François Damiens
- Serge Larivière
- Didier De Neck
- Laura Verlinden
- Romain Gelin
- Marco Lorenzini
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, Philo, Brew, Fandor Amazon Channel, Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Brew, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Brew, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Brand New Testament about?
- A rebellious girl challenges her cruel divine father by rewriting creation and gathering six unlikely human messengers in Brussels.
- What is The Brand New Testament like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Brand New Testament as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Brand New Testament violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Brand New Testament.
- What did critics think of The Brand New Testament?
- Critics broadly praised the film's surreal, subversive, and funny reworking of biblical themes, while finding its originality more consistent than its narrative discipline.
- Which films are like The Brand New Testament?
- Films with a similar feel include Dogma, Amélie, Being John Malkovich, and The Lobster.
- How long is The Brand New Testament?
- The Brand New Testament runs 114 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Brand New Testament?
- In United States, The Brand New Testament streams on fuboTV, Philo, Brew, Fandor Amazon Channel, Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel.
