Customer Reviews

The Apostle

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Sonny Dewey (Robert Duvall) is the charismatic preacher of a fundamentalist Texas church, until his short temper gets him in serious trouble. He runs off to Louisiana, becomes part of a small community, and starts a new church where he brings hope and salvation to his loyal followers.

Robert Duvall is a powerhouse; he wrote, directed, produced, and starred in this movie - and it's wonderful. He is so convincing as the southern evangelist that it really surprised me to hear him speak in his normal voice in the Extras. Sonny is completely devoted to saving people and spreading the Word, but we suspect he may have a violent and unsavory past, and that dichotomy keeps our eyes glued to Duvall at all times. As Sonny, he's driven, tireless, and simply inspired.

While Duvall gets excellent performances out of many local, non-actors in small parts, there were several casting choices that didn't seem right to me: Farrah Fawcett plays Sonny's wife and she's so recognizable as a former "Angel" and glamour girl that it was hard to buy her as a quiet, plain-Jane. June Carter Cash plays Sonny's mother although she is only two years older than Duvall - and looks it and that was distracting. And Billy Bob Thornton has a very small role as a troublemaker that was never developed; I kept expecting him to show up again and do something important and worthy of his stature.

The term "tour de force" can certainly be applied to Duvall's performance; he is riveting, charismatic, and utterly believable. Interestingly, the story makes him neither a hero nor a villain; it is left up to the viewer to decide who exactly "the Apostle" is. Highly recommended.

The story line is real and Robert Duvall delivers a very believable over the top character. I got the DVD after having seen it on the big screen a few years back because it is movie and a performance I want to see again.

I bought this DVD for a friend who had been looking for it in local shops for some time. I knew very little about it before watching it.

Two reasons I enjoyed the film. It was well done; believable, the acting convincing, the story line, enjoyable from an entertainment perspective. Secondly, on a more personal level, anyone who has ever struggled with making a connection with the higher power will relate to the struggle... or at least I did. Throughout the movie I was wondering how Robert Duval and Farrah Faucett fit into this in their own personal lives. I appreciate seeing famous people dealing with issues that are common in my life.

Robert Duvall financed and directed this masterpiece himself. The movie stars Billy Bob Thornton (Slingblade) and Farah Fawcett. Robert Duvall plays Sonny, a pastor of a church who is strong in the faith, loves his wife and family and preaches the Good news on the road. His life seems to be secure and almost perfect. Until his wife betrays him by having an affair with the Youth Pastor and this sets off an unexpected chain of events that forces Sonny to deal with his demons and find redemption in the process. A crime of passion forces Sonny to run from the law and to rebuild his life.

Needless to say, the Apostle is one of my favorite films. Robert Duvall is brilliant in this movie and he delivers an Oscar-worthy performance in this movie.

The Apostle is a must-see movie.

Quickly becomming my favorite film of all time.

Never has anyone captured the beauty and sincerity of story in film! This movie takes an intimate look at a personal situation in at an akward angle. Without preaching a message, a true look of an estranged minister who wanders into backwoods Louisiana and wins the hearts of the locals and gives them something to believe in again.

It doesn't take long to realize that every line, every shot, every character was carefully placed evolving seemlessly as if it were documented as a class project. I personally grew up in deep south Louisiana and Duvall could have been any one of my grandfathers or peers with the magnatude of perfection his character was portrayed. All the beauty and aura of the deep south paints a rich canvas for an addicting portrayal of characters.

Don't be fooled by the religeous theme, it's a beatifully written story of one mans struggles with his past and ambitions to re-establish himself finding comfort and support ministering.

Truely a masterpiece from the multitalented mind of a modern day Shakespeare. I hope there are many more to come from Robert Duvall

The Apostle (1997)

Robert Duvall, well known for his charismatic character Gus in Lonesome Dove, both stars in and directs this film. He plays the charismatic character of a minister named Sonny, who later renames himself through the sacrament of baptism: The Apostle E.F. The baptism through a rite of the church which should be attended by others is self-administered with only nature attending the event. The baptism does not change all of Sonny's ways and neither does his name change. It does however allow him to follow and live out his calling to evangelize for a time as an apostle; one called by God to do a specific vocation in the church, or in this case outside the established church. Like others in our society who have deluded themselves into the belief that by changing their name and geographical location they can escape justice for acts committed against the law and society. But eventually when the past catches up with them, as it does with E.F., then justice prevails.

A question that comes to mind is who pays or who is to blame? Is society to blame? Or are the constructs within society the culprit? There are usually two sides, if not more to every action. What Duvall accurately portrays in this film is that the double standard of the patriarchal system is still very much alive. His charismatic style which attracts others to worship at church is also used in another way in his home. His wife Jessie Dewey (Farrah Fawcett) knows his style of manipulation quite well as she refuses to pray with him when he asks, begs, and then orders her to. She resists thus asserting her independence from him. She is no longer a victim to and of his charm and charismatic ways. Thus the stage is set for his later behavior; drunkenness and jealous action. He tries to take by violence what he believes is his, by right of marriage; his wife and children. The act that he commits causes him to go into hiding, by running and covering up his identity. Yet his conscious gets to him, as he calls a friend several times to check on conditions at home. During this time of self-imposed exile he has no contact with his former life except through calls he makes to a friend. This friend informs him of two deaths; that of his former youth pastor and his (Sonny's) mother. The self-imposed exile cut Sonny off from his mother, to whom he was deeply devoted.

What caught my voyeur's eye is that Duvall successfully brought belief and faith to the film. Faith and belief in something outside of one's self will sustain and nourish a person; whether it be a relationship with a friend or God. People need the construct of community to live up to their full potential. Sonny proved this as his alter ego E.F. brought a caring sense of community to a depressed people, which helped them to restore and renew their own sense of worth, and relationship to God. In this way he lived up to the call of God within him, without the vanity of his former life as Sonny the Evangelist.
This film is a must have for those who would like to really see the reality of Christianity and faith lived out.

Watch Robert Duvall's 14 year in the making, labor of love 'The Apostle - Collector's Edition' Written, directed, AND personally financed by Robert Duvall in 1998, The Apostle was the culmination of a 14-year effort on the part of its creator, who also cast himself in the starring role as the dynamic southern preacher Sonny AKA "The Apostle E.F."

Great supporting cast consisting of Farrah (The Burning Bed) Fawcett, Billy (Sling Blade) Bob Thornton, June Carter Cash as Sonny's devout, southern Baptist "mama" and the incomparable Ms. Miranda Richardson. Many of the minor roles are played by actual
southern ministers and their congregations.

This is a film not to be missed... Praise The Lord & Pass The Remote!

This film, by far, is one of my favorite Robert Duvall films. I'm proud to own it on dvd and you should get it as well, if you don't have it already. It starts off a bit slow at first, but then it kicks in and never lets up! Also starring Farrah Fawcett and Billy Bob Thornton. One of the best.

"The Apostle" staring Robert Duvall is a film that you will remember long after your viewing. The story of Preacher "Sonny" Dewey is one man's quest to live for the God he loves and his
fight with his own sinful nature and those he loves.
When Sonny's wife is caught in infidelity, Sonny commits a crime of passion and the story takes you with him as he battles for
his redemption. My heart broke for this man many times in this great movie as his pain and suffering were so greatly crafted
upon the screen that they etched their way into your heart.
This is a movie that will leave you deep in thought and will
have you searching your own soul concerning your own redemption.
Well worth your time!

"The Apostle" proves not only what a wonderful actor Robert Duvall is (not that it was ever nessesary), but that he's a good writter (more like a good story teller), and he has as much faith as his charactor (he put up a lot of the money himself). This movie is a slow, methodical examination of the duality of man. Sonny is a good man, a preacher who's devotion to God is beyond reproach. But he is still a sinner; specificly an alcholic and a womanizer with a bad temper. When he finds his wife sleeping with a local stud, Sonny kills him in a fit of rage. He runs away to another state, becomes known simply as the Apostle, and begins a non-segregated church, and starts his redemption down a long, humble road. There is no way I can give this movie justice. The acting by Duvall, Farrah Fawcett (who I usually don't like) and a good apperence by Billy Bob Thornton (returning Duvall the favor of apperaring in "Sling Blade", another gem worth your time) is all beyond so great, I'm tempted to call it devine. Like I said, it is slow, but that is never a problem; it gives the charactors time to be real people instead of just charactors in a movie. The script is grat, and I just can't say enough about the movie.