Mormon-Bashing 'Virginia' Hits Theaters, Critics Hit Back

Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (“Milk”) got his first crack at directing a feature film two-plus years ago with “Virginia.”

But the film has been sitting on the proverbial shelf … until now.

The timing is interesting, no doubt, considering the story involves a philandering, kinky Mormon running for higher office.

The first public screening of the film, then dubbed, “What’s Wrong with Virginia,” drew withering responses, and back on the shelf it went.

Now, it’s in limited theatrical release, and critics are treating the movie like a cinematic pinata. As of today, the film’s RottenTomatoes.com score is 0 percent.

NPR’s Scott Tobias echoed the views of his colleagues when he slammed the film for how it treats its characters:

Black shows little but contempt for the small-minded denizens of Oceana, Va., a beachside hick town rife with hypocrisy and dirty little secrets, including a whopper involving a Mormon sheriff in a long-standing S&M affair with a half-crazy Southern belle.

Follow Christian Toto on Twitter @TotoMovies