The similarity between the two comes in the basic story type, which involves a thin, uptight guy named Nelson (Jeff Birk) and a bumbling overweight guy in Greg (Michael Birkeland). Greg and Nelson have just been made home teaching companions on the last day of the month and Nelson insists on doing it immediately. Greg would rather be watching football. He eventually concedes though, and the two of them set off into adventures in home teaching.

Trouble erupts wherever they go, but it’s so over-the-top ridiculous, the situations rarely ever reach even an elementary level of humor. Birkeland is not nearly as funny as Chris Farley and Birk isn’t close to David Spade. And this is just when they’re trying to be funny, which seems like less than half of the film. The Home Teachers is just tedious to sit through.

There is no plot beyond Nelson dragging Greg along from house to house despite the problems they keep encountering. Of course, they both learn their lessons by the end. Nelson realizes he’s been more concerned about home teaching itself than the people and Greg makes the change of heart in terms of a desire to do home teaching at all. But it’s unconvincing and unaffecting. There is little lead up to the changes and it almost feels tacked on.

The Home Teachers fails in almost every respect. This is a detriment to the whole Mormon cinema movement. Hopefully, it will be looked over and soon forgotten.

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