Review of The Apostle (1997) by Terri H — 05 Jan 2009
Whether 2-hours of preaching is your thing or not, one thing cannot be denied in The Apostle - it is a tour-de-force performance by Robert Duvall. Frankly, I never thought he had this kind of performance in him.
.. used to the understated Tom Hagen role in the Godfather pictures. The Apostle is a tale of redemption, as Sonny (played by Duvall), a semi-troubled but successful preacher faces some unforeseen adversity, requiring him to restart his life from the bottom.
I fully expected the Apostle to paint with broad strokes various oft-debated religious themes, but the film wants nothing to do with them. Instead it focuses on Sonny's persistence and unwavering dedication to his faith and how it helps him persevere through it all.
It is amazing to watch - an ineffective lead actor would easily have doomed the film. But in the end it's probably Duvall's real life passion about the topic and his craft that makes this a very worthy viewing.
This review of The Apostle (1997) was written by Terri H on 05 Jan 2009.
The Apostle has generally received positive reviews.
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