The Apostle (1997)

To its credit, Robert Duvall's The Apostle never lapses into the stereotypes common to films like Elmer Gantry, which portray preachers of questionable moral fibre as hypocrites and charlatans; of the many questions which swirl about Sonny, the utter conviction of his religious beliefs is never open to debate. His belief in salvation is total, and his love for his flock is pure; furthermore, his followers -- the majority of them African-American, further blurring common cinematic stereotypes -- are never criticized or made to seem foolish for placing their faith in him. While Duvall's storytelling skills are uneven, his gifts for establishing mise-en-scene are superbly realized; equally strong is his direction of his cast, a fascinatingly organic blend of professional and non-professional actors. The result of some 15 years of behind-the-scenes struggle, The Apostle is an important work from one of Hollywood's most important figures. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide