Larry Cohen is a filmmaker who has never been afraid to think big, no matter how small his budgets may be, and God Told Me To is one of his most ambitious projects, in which Cohen attempts to tie his perspectives on God, man, and the nature of the universe into what might otherwise be a formula cop story. As is often the case with Cohen's movies, God Told Me To philosophically bites off just a bit more than it can chew, especially in its closing reels as Peter (Tony Lo Bianco) learns the curious true story of his origin and confronts the mysterious Bernard Phillips (Richard Lynch). But, for the most part, the film works, despite the shaky final act and some over-obvious speechifying from several characters, largely thanks to a fine cast and Cohen's knack for capturing the gritty atmosphere of pre-gentrification New York City. The underappreciated Tony Lo Bianco delivers a strong and compelling performance as Peter, keeping one foot in reality no matter how bizarre the circumstances which surround him, and a fine collection of character actors dot the cast, including Mason Adams, Sam Levene, and Robert Drivas. And Cohen's crisp pace and no-nonsense visual style help keep the story rooted in a recognizable time and place no matter how far into the ozone the film's narrative conceits may drift. If God Told Me To can't quite answer all the questions it poses, the fact that it bothers to deal with such puzzling spiritual and psychological issues sets it apart from the work of most American filmmakers; and the fact he could wrap these concerns in a murder mystery turned sci-fi horror yarn makes it all the more remarkable.