The Apostle (1998)
85%RT Audience Score:
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
13 wins & 8 nominations total
Robert Duvall’s The Apostle is a cinematic masterpiece that explores the complexities of faith, sin, and redemption with a level of nuance and depth that is rarely seen in Hollywood. Duvall’s performance as the titular preacher is nothing short of mesmerizing, and his direction is a testament to his skill as a filmmaker. The film is a vindication of belief without being a vindication of every believer, and it stands as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of faith. With its unbridled energy, raw emotion, and subtle grace, The Apostle is a must-see for anyone who appreciates intelligent, thought-provoking cinema.
The Apostle” is a movie that’s been praised by critics for years, and it’s not hard to see why. Robert Duvall’s performance as a preacher on a redemption journey is nothing short of mesmerizing. The movie explores the complexities of faith and sin, and does so with a subtlety and grace that’s rare in American cinema. Even if you’re not a churchgoer, or even a Christian, you’ll be moved by the power of Duvall’s great performance. It’s a movie that’s shocking in its raw emotion and unbridled energy, and it’s a must-see for anyone who loves great acting and thought-provoking storytelling.
Production Company(ies)
Decla-Bioscop AG,
Distributor
October Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Collin County, Texas, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and a related scene of violence
Year of Release
1998
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:2h 28m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 20, 1998 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 19, 2002
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Robert Duvall, Farrah Fawcett, Miranda Richardson, Todd Allen, John Beasley, June Carter Cash, directed by Robert Duvall, written by Robert Duvall, drama, PG-13, box office gross $20.8M, reviewed by Lisa Schwarzbaum, Emanuel Levy, Steven D Greydanus, Edward Guthmann, Jay Carr, Steve Davis, Richard Propes, Todd Gilchrist, Michael Dequina, Gary Brown, Thomas Delapa, personal project, southern Pentecostal preacher, affair, beating, coma, Louisiana, church, personal demons, radio station worker, peace, redemption, faith, religion, character study, powerful, message, accurate, fair, three-dimensional, music, cinematography, sets, costumes, entertainment
Worldwide gross: $19,868,354
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $36,461,231
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,478
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 3,976,143
US/Canada gross: $19,868,354
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $36,461,231
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,203
US/Canada opening weekend: $29,396
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $53,946
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,184
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $5,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $9,175,705
Production budget ranking: 1,706
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $4,941,117
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $22,344,409
ROI to date (est.): 158%
ROI ranking: 741
Farrah Fawcett – Jessie Dewey
Miranda Richardson – Toosie
Todd Allen – Horace
John Beasley – Brother C. Charles Blackwell
June Carter Cash – Mrs. ‘Momma’ Dewey Dr.
Director(s)
Robert Duvall
Writer(s)
Robert Duvall
Producer(s)
Rob Carliner
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
13 wins & 8 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (49) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (44) | Rotten (5)
September 7, 2011 | Rating: A-
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
A labor of love coming to fruition after 13 years, this is Robert Duvall’s third and best directorial effort, a sharply observed exploration of a preacher who embarks on a redemption odyssey after committing a crime.
February 18, 2006 | Rating: 4/5
Emanuel Levy
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Disturbing but thought-provoking depiction of genuine faith coexisting with sin and carnality… like the troubling fiction of Evelyn Waugh, Graham Greene, and Flannery O’Connor, a vindication of belief without being a vindication of every believer.
July 19, 2003 | Rating: A-
Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films
TOP CRITIC
June 18, 2002 | Rating: 3/4
Edward Guthmann
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3.5/4
Jay Carr
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 4/5
Steve Davis
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Duvall’s script is one of subtle grace and beauty.
September 2, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
Duvall is effortlessly mesmerizing in the lead role…
January 4, 2019
Todd Gilchrist
Birth.Movies.Death.
Shocking in its unbridled, electrifying energy and raw emotion.
March 31, 2009 | Rating: 3.5/4
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com
I cannot recall a movie so dominated by the performance of one actor (Robert Duvall) as this one.
August 13, 2007 | Rating: 4/4
Gary Brown
Houston Community Newspapers
Some kind of acting miracle … One doesn’t have to be a churchgoer, or even a Christian, to be moved by the power of Duvall’s great performance.
August 21, 2006 | Rating: 3/4
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly
… may be the most unapologetic, intimate portrayal of a religious man in the history of American cinema.
January 15, 2005 | Rating: A+
Jeffrey Overstreet
Looking Closer…
Plot
Eulis ‘Sonny’ Dewey is a preacher from Texas living a happy life with his beautiful wife Jessie. Suddenly his stable world crumbles: Jessie is having an affair with young minister Horace. Sonny gets enraged and hits Horace with a softball bat, putting him into a coma. After that he leaves town, takes a new name, ‘Apostle E.F.’ and goes to Louisiana. There he starts to work as a mechanic for local radio station owner Elmo, and Elmo lets him preach on the radio. E.F. starts to preach everywhere: on the radio, on the streets, and with his new friend, Reverend Blackwell he starts a campaign to renovate an old church.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Robert Duvall wrote, directed, and starred in this film, which was a personal project and labor of love for him.
Robert-Duvall.jpg
