The Apostle

Robert Duvall gives a masterful performance in this self- directed, self-penned drama about a passionate Pentecostal preacher. When he realises that his wife Jessie ( Farrah Fawcett ) no longer loves him and wants to take over his church, ‘Sonny’ Dewey violently vents his frustrations on the man he blames for taking her love away – younger minister Horace ( Todd Allen ). Fleeing from the scene of the crime, Sonny boards a bus and strikes up a new life as ‘The Apostle’ in a small bayou town. Here he attempts to atone for his sins and bring his message to a new community, all the while knowing that he is living on borrowed time., After his happy life spins out of control, a preacher from Texas changes his name, goes to Louisiana and starts preaching on the radio., This intense and complex character study written and directed by Robert Duvall earned him a Best Actor nomination. He plays a passionate preacher with a troubled past who, in an attempt to start over, re-establishes himself in a small bayou town under a new name. Farrah Fawcett, Miranda Richardson, Todd Allen, John Beasley, Billy Bob Thornton., Robert Duvall gives a masterful performance in this self-directed, self-penned drama about a passionate Pentecostal preacher. When he realises that his wife Jessie no longer loves him and wants to take over his church, ‘Sonny’ Dewey violently vents his frustrations on the man he blames for taking her love away – younger minister Horace. Fleeing from the scene of the crime, Sonny boards a bus and strikes up a new life as ‘The Apostle’ in a small bayou town. Here he attempts to atone for his sins and bring his message to a new community, all the while knowing that he is living on borrowed time., Robert Duvall’s pet project saw him write, finance, direct and star in this very individual, powerful film (which won him an Oscar nomination) as Eulis ‘Sonny’ Dewey, a Texan preacher who, finding out his wife Jessie (Farrah Fawcett) is having an affair, takes his revenge and hits the road, ending up in a small rural church where his oratory powers and charisma see his star shine again But at the same time, he must learn to live with himself and his actions. With Miranda Richardson, June Carter Cash and Billy Bob Thornton., Devout Pentecostal preacher Eulis “Sonny” Dewey (Robert Duvall) of New Boston, Texas, has a lovely wife (Farrah Fawcett) and two children. But not only has Jessie been cheating on him with a younger minister, Horace (Todd Allen), she has pulled a few strings to gain control of his church. Sonny goes into a violent rage, attacking Horace with a bat during a softball game. With Horace in a coma, Sonny leaves town on a bus, headed east for a new life. He changes his name to E.F., baptizing himself as “The Apostle” to God. Arriving in the black community of Bayou Boutte, Louisiana, he meets Brother Blackwell (John Beasley) who helps him start anew. E.F. works as a garage mechanic and preaches on the streets and a local radio station owned by Elmo (Rich Dial). He leads the community in remodeling a rundown church and gains supporters as he seeks his own salvation. In sorrow from the deaths of both his mother (June Carter Cash) and Horace, he encounters more problems when a racist (Billy Bob Thornton) attempts to drive a bulldozer into his church. Eventually, Jessie finds out where he’s living and informs the police. Duvall wrote, directed, and financed this exploration of the evangelical world, shown at the Toronto Film Festival and the New York Film Festival. Filmed in Texas (Denton County, Collin County, and Dallas) and Lafayette, Louisiana.