IslandGuru Who payed the critics

Protraph Lack of good storyline.

Intcatinfo A Masterpiece!

AutCuddly Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

caseynicholson When this movie came out in 1997, I was a young man who had just found his way into church for the first time in my adult life. I specifically was someone who had always been turned off to church and faith because I had grown up in a place where often times churches were charismatic, a style that never interested me very much. When I was nineteen I started attending a Presbyterian church that was a whole different atmosphere than what I had always known. The service was very structured and organized, and a long story short I found myself at home in a place with a much more reserved style of worship experience.But with that going on in my personal life at the time, it made it difficult for me to want to see "The Apostle", a film that to me looked like it was promoting the style of religion that I had struggled with all my life. So I never saw the film when it was in theaters or while it was still popular.Fast forward to 2014, and I've matured a fair bit. I still have my own preferences about church and religion, but I am not as judgmental as I once was. And so with that in mind, I sat down to watch this film on Netflix a couple of weeks ago.What I found in "The Apostle" was a delightful film, one that is evangelical in its own way, and one that certainly does portray the charismatic church style that I struggled with so much in my youth. But whereas in 1997 I might have had a visceral reaction to that, in 2014 I was able to sit down and watch the film and view it as art. And boy am I glad that I did.Robert Duvall gives a dynamic performance in this movie. It's impossible to see him as himself, because he completely becomes the character. As the movie progresses Duvall has several extended scenes where he's preaching in church, and the performance is amazing. Regardless of whether one appreciates the Christian faith or the charismatic movement, Duvall makes the viewer believe that he is the preacher. It's a bit eerie in a sense, and some might find it uncomfortable given the subject matter--but then you realize that this is the same guy from "The Godfather" movies, and that's when it hits you that this is an amazing feat of acting in a well made film.All that said, "The Apostle" may be a bit foreign and hard to watch for some people who have an averse reaction to matters of faith or who are uncomfortable with Christianity. But even those folks should be able to appreciate the film for its artistic expression, if they can just get past the religious element (which is of course the dominant theme of the film).If you are able to appreciate the film, either as a work of art or as an evangelical film in its own right, then you may agree that it deserves a high rating. Thus my 9/10 stars.

rdean1908 i waited to see this movie. i guess i was afraid. i watched "the apostle" tonight! it gripped me from the first turn of the reels. i have always adored robert duvall! "convicts" is also one of his best roles! and, let us not forget "lonesome dove"! i could not believe the fact that he also directed this movie, as well. i know it was made back in 1997, but, i just saw it tonight. robert duvall-you are one of the finest actors to ever come out of the back woods of this great country of ours! the tragedy is you did not make more movies in which you were also given the chance to direct! i take my hat off to you, fine sir! hats off, gentlemen, to a genius!!

bograde An excellent take on charismatic, evangelical Christianity. An imperfect man with faith. Why wouldn't exposure of his wife's adultery challenged her ability to take over the church? I never understood why did he go and start a new church when he was avoiding the murder charges. Why did Sonny attempt a relationship with the new lady in Louisiana? Wouldint his new woman be adultery since he yet to be formally divorced? He seems to have been aware of the inevitable. Was he on a mission of redemption before he face the inevitable punishment? Was he addicted to the prestige and sense of purpose he had as a minister? Why did he fight so hard to build the new church?

evanston_dad There is one compelling reason to see "The Apostle," and that reason is Robert Duvall.Duvall directed himself in this story about an evangelist who embarks on a self-assigned mission to save souls when his own life goes wrong. Duvall gives a scorching, blistering performance in the title role, sinking deeply into his character until you feel like Duvall the actor no longer even exists. He also proves himself to be a competent director, even though that hasn't been a calling he's pursued subsequently.It's just criminal that Jack Nicholson beat Duvall for the 1997 Best Actor Award with a performance like the one he gives in "As Good as It Gets." Grade: A