"Somebody give me an Amen!"      

THE APOSTLE (PG-13) 

Reviewed February 21, 1998 - Check out The Apostle web site.

From a project driven almost single-handedly by Robert Duvall comes the story of Euliss F. "Sonny" Dewey, a Pentecostal evangelist hailing from Texas.  A preacher of God's word since he was twelve, Sonny evangelizes with energy and passion, building both Church and community as he attempts to better the lives of those around him.  Yup, it's fire-and-brimstone time all in the name of the Lord, and Sonny's right in the middle of it.

Sonny, however, isn't perfect.  With a short temper and a dangerous passion for women, Sonny's world starts to fall apart when his wife Jessie (Farrah Fawcett) throws him out of their house and their church.  Then things really go bad when in a fit of jealous rage, Sonny takes a baseball bat to the head of Jessie's new lover.  In that same instant Sonny becomes a murderer and a fugitive, and he quickly flees his home (and identity) to settle into the small town of Bayou Boutte, Louisiana.  "The Apostle E.F." becomes Sonny's new identity, and although he knows that the law will one day catch up with him, he sets himself on a mission to revive the religious community in Bayou Boutte, re-establishing the "One Way Road to Heaven" within that small town.

In watching The Apostle, you can't help but be amazed at the passion that Duvall unleashes onto his role.  From nearly start to finish of this 148-minute character study, Duvall's Apostle is a force of raw energy, with his portrayal of this character undoubtedly being the strongest part of the film.  Can a man who has done so much wrong live a life that also does so much right?  That's the question asked in The Apostle, and in answering this question Duvall (who also wrote, directed, and produced this film) presents a truly rich character in E.F. 

Unfortunately, this rich characterization also leads to The Apostle's failings.

About an hour or so into the film, it becomes clear that the showcasing of this troubled main character comes at the expense of other elements of this picture (e.g. the other supporting characters, the plot, etc.).  While fascinating at first, Duvall's evangelistic monologues slowly lengthen (and lengthen, and lengthen) to the point of nausea, ultimately detracting from the tensions that the film tries to explore.  The other characters in The Apostle are, in a sense, merely props in this story, with Duvall's character completely dominating the scene.  The overall effect?  Well, it's simultaneously intriguing and annoying--intriguing in the development of Duvall's character, and annoying in the lack of attention to anything other than Duvall's character.  At times, this film feels more like a sermon than a story, and at 148 minutes, that starts to add up to one l-o-o-ng sermon...

Responses from cyberspace--thanks for writing!

wpriebe249@aol.com gives this movie  stars: "While I may not agree with the movie's theology, it is a pleasure to see Hollywood treat Christianity with respect (al la "Chariots of Fire). Although it could have benefitted from better editting and the number of songs get a little tedious, it is an outstanding character study into holiness preachers (warts and all). If you see it on DVD, be sure to listen to the director's commentary. Unlike most, it significantly enhances the movie." (10/28/00)

dickhafer@erols.com gives this movie  stars: "A strangely moving film. Duvall's character is certainly flawed and his preaching simplistic in the extreme. But I found myself being drawn to him. Yes, he certainly is a sinner...but then, so am I, so redemption of so flawed a person is possible for all. The supporting cast was superb, if little seen. The Rev. Blackwell had great dignity and I would love to meet that character. I am not of that holiness persuaion in my worship style, but the people really seemed to love Jesus and my guess is that that,s honoring Him and their gift of salvation. I would like to know more about Bob Duvall's personal faith. If he isn't a believer then he's an even greater ator than I always thought. Fine film." (7/28/99)

shotgunshells@hotmail.com gives this movie  star: "This movie SUCKED!!!!! I am a believer, and even I can tell you it sucked! This movie is about a man who preaches incorrect teachings and generally just screams "JESUS, JESUS, JESUS" enough to get that black church alaive and screaming with him. AND not to mention the story in generall was boring. Not worth one minute of the time it takes to watch it. Take it from a believer, You do NOT want to see this film" (7/27/99)

Tom Munster gives this movie  stars: "This movie was a bore! The character of Sonny was unlikable, self-absorbed, and predictable. The storyline was very predictable and flat. Duvall is a great actor, but needed some help in writing this film (no wonder he was turned down so much by the studios)." (11/17/98)

novazembla@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: "This is not a movie, but film literature. Written and portrayed artistically, Mr.Duvall has created a masterpiece. The characters are acutely developed, astoundingly woven into a matrix of realism. The performances by all of the cast are extremely well-tuned, achieving a balance rarely seen." (9/10/98)

JerrellPar@aol.com gives this movie  stars: "Critics, of course, will be quick to be "offended" by all of the many references to Jesus in this film, and they will liken the movie to nothing more than a long sermon. But, Robert Duvall has broken the mold of movie-making in Hollywood by giving a truly astounding performance which could only have come from the heart. Duvall had to feel strongly about his subject in order to write, direct, produce, and star in this movie. And, let's face it -- it takes guts and a willingness to separate yourself from the mainstream of American thinking to make a movie about one's struggles in trying to follow Jesus. I applaud Duvall for his courage, his creative instinct, and his willingness to stick to the subject matter. Truly one of the best films I have ever seen!" (9/5/98)

nrolett@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: "To some, this movie is annoying, for the same reason that anything overtly religious is annoying. "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus...ENOUGH of this 'jesus' crap!" But the movie takes on quite a different meaning if one actually believes that Jesus is real. To me it is an accurate portrayal of the struggle that all people face who would seek to be led by God. Only people who have known this struggle can truly appreciate this film." (8/23/98)