The Apostle is a wonderfully constructed work that deals with a few intense issues including faith and the Christian's relationship with God. The director uses small scenes and sequences to illustrate how Sonny lives out his faith and to help the viewer experience Sonny's life more fully. For instance, on his way to Louisiana Sonny walks past a bar to catch a bus. Without hesitation he enters the bar and emerges moments later with a slightly inebriated man, telling him that he does not have to go in there anymore. When on his journey, Sonny relies so completely on faith that he actually stops in the middle of a crossroads and kneels to pray, asking God to direct him. God does not disappoint. Though The Apostle is a work of fiction, it does a great job of presenting faith that is shunned by the world and continuously proved by God. When Sonny stops to pray at a car-crash, it appears that the wife is probably dead and the husband is in fairly critical condition. Sonny prays with them despite an officer's orders and drives away. As Sonny is leaving, the viewer sees the wife's hand grip her husbands, presumably showing God's work in the situation; Sonny's reply: "Momma, we made news in heaven today." Duvall's film also deals greatly with the humanity of Christians. Though Sonny is a murderer and a womanizer, God still chooses to use him. One cannot help but to think of Abraham being called and leaving his idols behind. Some say that art imitates life, while others argue that life imitates art. Whichever is true in the end, the Apostle paints a picture of beautifully honest and flawed faith; a picture that everyone can learn from, no matter where they walk.

Robert Duvall did an excellent job bringing this film to life. The other 'actors' in the film also contribute to give "The Apostle" a realistic warmth rarely achieved in mainstream films. I refer to the cast as 'actors' because aside from numerous character actors, Duvall being one of the greatest, the film is inhabited by non-actors. In other words, the people in church, from the Holiness preachers to the warm small-town folk, are real people, not trained in acting. Duvall's story is engaging and beautiful in the way it shows the flaws amid great talent in a man who chooses for himself the calling of Apostle. I love this film, the accurate portrayal of some aspects of southern U.S. life and culture, and especially Duvall's performance.

It always amazes me what a difference a decade (and 1/2) makes. ?just 24 little hours again and again until something I saw 15 years ago is not the film I saw today. But of course it's the same movie and its impact-just as powerful. One scene in particular is very rough, but violence in this movie is not gratuitous. It's a necessary piece of the puzzle as to who this guy the Apostles is ... And Robert Duvall is sensational in everything he does and especially in as contradictory a role as this. Initially I saw only the narcissistic hypocritical control freak-the religious nut. I made no attempt to absorb the entire human being who, although flawed, shows extreme selflessness in bringing strangers together, invoking the goodness, acknowledging only their commonalities. Everyone is equal in this man's eyes and he comforts and inspires with his unmovable faith in God. This is a terrific piece of work that inspired me as it also challenged an intolerance I didn't know I had and no longer wish to .... Farrah is terrific as usual and the entire cast had an authenticity that made me forget they were acting.