83
Metascore
28 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100Chicago ReaderJonathan RosenbaumChicago ReaderJonathan RosenbaumDuvall’s direction of a mix of professional and nonprofessional actors, especially in the extended church sessions, is never less than masterful.
- 100Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertDuvall's screenplay does what great screenwriting is supposed to do, and surprises us with additional observations and revelations in every scene.
- 100Christian Science MonitorDavid SterrittChristian Science MonitorDavid SterrittAvoiding the clichés and condescension that characterize many films on religious figures, the movie is at once a compelling drama and a thoughtful look at faith-related issues on personal, social, and cultural levels.
- 100Entertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumEntertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumUnusual, unhurried tour de force--a seamless match of strong artistic vision and physical performance. [19 Dec 1997, p. 52]
- 100L.A. WeeklyManohla DargisL.A. WeeklyManohla DargisAn effortlessly complex portrayal that relishes the contradictions and complexities of someone capable of both exalted and debased behavior, a shape-shifter it is possible to be fascinated, repelled and compelled by, all at the same time.
- 89Austin ChronicleSteve DavisAustin ChronicleSteve DavisWhether strutting like a bantam rooster for the Lord, fervently calling himself a “genuine Holy Ghost, Jesus-filled preaching machine,” or humbly acknowledging the folly of his actions, Duvall inhabits the character of Sonny, completely disappearing into the man's skin.
- 80EmpireEmpireNothing can make an agnostic squirm like full-on religion but by loading his central character with lay weaknesses as well as spiritual strengths, Duvall invests the near-documentary style film with an everyman appeal.
- 63The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick GroenThe Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick GroenA too-perfect mirror of its creator, The Apostle's greatest strength doubles as a singular weakness -- in the end, it feels like an immaculate forgery.
- 60Film ThreatFilm ThreatDuvall chews up the scenery with smoldering, fire-and-brimstone orations.
- 40Dallas ObserverRobert WilonskyDallas ObserverRobert WilonskyIn the end, The Apostle feels like a con, a movie that embraces its contradictions only because it's not smart enough to reconcile them; everything feels complex, but, in fact, it's far too simple.