Friends of God: A Road Trip with Alexandra Pelosi

Alexandra Pelosi drives across the United States, sitting down with a range of evangelical pastors, their congregations, and the figures who shape that corner of American religion. Rather than narrate from afar, she lets conversations and sermons carry the story, capturing humor, conviction, and contradiction in ordinary moments. The film moves from small churches to megachurch stages, showing how faith is performed and explained, and how leaders speak about politics, morality, and community. There are no dramatic reveals, just extended, candid access that lets viewers draw their own conclusions.

Released in 2007, the film was directed and produced by Alexandra Pelosi, who also appears on camera. It uses on-the-road vérité footage and interview segments to assemble a portrait of contemporary evangelical life, featuring well known voices like Jerry Falwell and Joel Osteen among others.

As a niche documentary, Friends of God did not register as a mainstream box office success, and there are no widely reported revenue figures. Its reach relied more on festival screenings and televised or cable presentations than big theatrical returns.

Critical response was mixed, reflected in modest audience scores, with some viewers appreciating the unfiltered access and others wishing for more context or analysis. The film repeatedly raises themes about charisma, community, and the intersection of religion and public life, prompting questions about influence and representation without prescribing answers.

The documentary has been used as a snapshot of mid 2000s evangelical culture, cited in discussions about religion and politics and shown in classrooms and community forums interested in faith and media. Its candid moments and closeups of worship and rhetoric make it a useful reference for anyone studying how religious leaders present themselves to followers and to the broader public.