Dear God

Play trailer

Dear God

PG

1996

1h 52m

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

15%

Tomatometer

34 Reviews

28%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In order to avoid a jail sentence, con man Tom Turner (Greg Kinnear) promises a judge he'll get an honest job for a year. But when he starts working in the U.S. Post Office's dead letter office, he's moved by some letters addressed directly to God. After he starts a Good Samaritan con by replying to the letters, his co-workers (Laurie Metcalf, Tim Conway, Héctor Elizondo) are inspired to do the same. But their good work is frowned upon by the postmaster general -- and the cops.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Dear God never had a prayer, with Greg Kinnear's angelic charisma weighted down by a screenplay bereft of wit but heavy on schmaltz.

Read Critics Reviews

Leonard Klady

Variety

03/26/2009

It unfortunately has an unfinished quality, and plays very much like a good first draft for a much better movie than the one on view.

Go to Full Review

Janet Maslin

New York Times

05/20/2003

2.5/5

Together, these characters discover the ideas of faith and fellowship as the film congratulates itself on its noble instincts.

Go to Full Review

Desson Thomson

Washington Post

01/22/2002

A goofy, goodwill gesture toward the U.S. Postal Service, it's never funny and moves slower than an unaddressed letter without postage.

Go to Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

04/04/2025

2.5/4

...a palpably overlong yet mostly affable comedy that benefits from its assortment of appealing attributes...

Go to Full Review

TV Guide

07/20/2009

3/4

Garry Marshall's fast-paced, Capra-esque comedy probably out-Capras Capra himself in sentimentality, but the terrific cast makes for a rarity: a feel good-comedy that's actually very funny.

Go to Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

08/16/2005

2/5

Read all reviews

thiago s

@Thiagostone Feb 1

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

See more

Stephen C

@bob25009 Dec 9

Funny in 01 hour and 52 minutes in theaters and on DVD and Blu-Ray Disc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All ages admitted!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The worldwide gross is $7,138,523.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See more

10/01/2018

Just saw this movie for the first time - some 22 years after release. This is a charming feel-good movie. What a cast! Not only Kinnear but Laurie Metcalfe, Tim ConwY, Jack Klugman, Roscoe Lee Browne, Garry MarshLl, Rue McClanHN, Hector Elizondo, and so many more. You'll get a kick out of all the actors you recognize!

See more

09/18/2017

Stellar Funny Cast. Under-rated and definitely on my Holiday HeartTouchstone movies.

See more

12/02/2015

I'm confused about how movies like this get the green light-this really is incoherant dribble.

See more

11/28/2015

Overall a really good movie. Not sure why it received so many bad reviews.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Garry Marshall

Director

Greg Kinnear

Tom Turner

Laurie Metcalf

Rebecca Frazen

Maria Pitillo

Gloria McKinney

Tim Conway

Herman Dooly

Héctor Elizondo

Vladek Vidov

It Takes Two

8%

60%

It Takes Two

Watchlist

TRAILER

for It Takes Two

House Arrest

10%

45%

House Arrest

Watchlist

The Stupids

20%

38%

The Stupids

Watchlist

Houseguest

18%

55%

Houseguest

Watchlist

A Pyromaniac's Love Story

0%

54%

A Pyromaniac's Love Story

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

In order to avoid a jail sentence, con man Tom Turner (Greg Kinnear) promises a judge he'll get an honest job for a year. But when he starts working in the U.S. Post Office's dead letter office, he's moved by some letters addressed directly to God. After he starts a Good Samaritan con by replying to the letters, his co-workers (Laurie Metcalf, Tim Conway, Héctor Elizondo) are inspired to do the same. But their good work is frowned upon by the postmaster general -- and the cops.

Director: Garry Marshall
Producer: Steve Tisch
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Rysher Entertainment
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 1, 1996, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $7.1M
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: Surround