Mobsters walk through Springville neigborhoods, and no one gives them a second glance.

HaleStorm Entertainment, responsible for such comedies as "The Singles Ward" and "The RM," introduced the gangsters to Utah when filming began three weeks ago for their latest production, "Mobsters and Mormons."

The film uses a different style of comedy than the earlier movies by the company, said Jed Ivie, HaleStorm's director of media relations.

"It's more of a mainstream comedy," he said.

The previous films released by the company had been made with Utah audiences specifically in mind, he said.

"[There are] no inside jokes about Mormonism in this one," said John Moyer, the writer and director of the new film.

Thus, while the movie will be advertised in Utah in a similar fashion to its predecessors, Ivie said, it should also appeal to a much wider audience.

"This is all strictly from the outside perspective, looking in," Moyer said, "so anybody who's not Mormon is going to watch this and laugh and find it amusing."

The film tells the story of a New Jersey mobster, said Ivie. He relocates to Utah under the federal witness protection program, and the culture shock begins.

"I kind of wanted to combine the two worlds that I knew," said Moyer, who grew up in New Jersey but now lives in Utah. "New Jersey, the people there, the characters there, and, then, the people in Utah — because they're so far opposite extremes."

He said part of his motivation in writing the script came from the intolerance of some people in Utah when confronted with people with different values.

"There are many people that only want to accept people that are just like them," he said.

The film does not just focus on the discomfort of the mobster, however, he said.

"Really, both [sides] feel out of place," Moyer said. "You have this family that moves in, and they feel out of place, and then you have a neighborhood that is a little scared — they feel out of place, too."

Some of the film's clashes in culture have translated into reality as well, said Ivie. Many of the cast members in the film are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Utah took some time to get used to. Even so, Joey Tilley, the transportation coordinator for the project, said several actors have been very impressed with their surroundings.

"They can't believe how nice everybody is here," he said.

Ivie said one actor had recognized that people here ask "How are you doing?" and really mean it — they actually stop and wait for an answer.

The experience will not last much longer, however, as filming will wrap up within the week. Post-production will take about four months, Ivie said, and the film should be released sometime between this fall and next February.

Tilley, who plays a short role in the film, said he looks forward to the finished product.

"From what I've seen so far," he said, "it looks really, really good, and I'm excited to be part of it."
Copyright Brigham Young University 31 Jan 2005