Customer Reviews

Leap of Faith [VHS]

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Steve Martin is born to play the starring role of Jonas Nightingale, a travelling huckster, fraud of a faith healer, demon "caster outer", "slay in the spiriter" & more importantly, a money grubbing false prophet. Along with his no-nonsense sidekick manager, Jane, played aptly by Debra Winger, they bilk poor souls from a small town out of their hard earned cash with the oldest profession in the world. No, not prostitution. The selling of the Gospel Of Jesus Christ!

This film exhibits many word-faith doctrines such as "positive confession", "gospel of health", "gospel of wealth" and the whole "name it and claim it" belief. More imporantly, what it also has is some great smaller role performances given by Lolita Davidovich as waitress Marva, Lukas Haas as Boyd, Liam Neeson as Will, Philip Seymour Hoffman as Matt, and MEATLOAF as Hoover!

This movie also has a great soundtrack with samplings from Don Henley, Patti LaBelle, Wynonna Judd and of course, the great Meatloaf with "Paradise By The Dashboard Lights"!

Seriously though... This film has a great ending and shows what REAL MIRACLES are made of and EXACTLY where they are made...

A fun & entertaining family film!

Happy Watching!

What a great film. A spellbinding performance by Steve Martin, who seemingly was born to play this role. He portrays Jonas Nightingale, a traveling huckster of a preacher, who leads an entourage going from town to town bilking poor hopeful people out of what little they do have.

Another reviewer was dead on - it is impossible to watch any of his scenes in this film without focusing totally on him. He is so full of the role but not in an overbearing way (unlike Jim Carey whose portrayal as Batman's foil The Riddler, comes to mind as a poor comparison).

It's not merely a send up of preaching, Christianity or of films like the great Elmer Gantry (to which it is often compared and found severely lacking). It is much more than that. It is also much much lighter. It also has a brilliant musical score, dominated by some of the most stirring and uplifting gospel music ever to come from any of God's creations.

Different from any role Steve Martin ever did. Brilliant!

When con-man turned preacher Jonas Nightingale rolls into a small town plagued by drought and unemployment he has two things on his mind... getting his truck fixed and separating the locals from what little money they have. Before the film ends he finds himself in the center of a situation that borders on the supernatural. As Jonas finds himself doing the right things for the wrong reasons this hardened huckster finds himself in the last position he expected to find himself... out of control. This movie looks at the life of a traveling evangelist/flim-flam man with an honesty that is at the very least unsettling. It shows some of the "tricks of the trade" in a way that makes you wonder about even the most sincere traveling evangelists. Plus, this film is backed up by some of the finest gospel music ever put on a movie soundtrack. The scene with the choir singing acapella as the crew put up the tents is worth the price of the movie. Steve Martin does a great job as Jonas. Supporting players Debra Winger and Liam Neeson round out a fine cast. I highly recommend this film

I'm surprised this movie is not held in higher esteem by the public and critics. A perfect role for Steve Martin who plays an over the top con man minister trying to score on the local waitress. When the bus breaks down he decides to open a revival and and put some time in the effort.

But this farming town is in the depths of depression caused by a drought. Martin deserved an academy award for his brillant portrayal. Great supporting performances by Debra Winger, Liam Neeson and Philip Seymour Hoffman in his first memorable role.

The other star of this movie is the excellent score particularly near the end as the author shifts from the con to "could this be real". Not often is the score so prominent in manipulating thre viewer emotionally. I'm agnostic but the story is so uplifting that you can't help but be touched. Also the sweeping scenes of middle Americans is very inspiring in projecting average Americans going about their lives.

This movie entertains and mentally challenges the viewer. I score this movie very highly and a must see particularly if you enjoy watching the career journey of the brillant Steve Martin.

This is truly a great and (surprisingly) overlooked movie. It has a great cast, great performances, and a nice storyline. Steve Martin, in particular, does an OUTSTANDING job in this movie. I continue to wonder why this isn't seen as one of the finest (if not THE finest) performance of his career. If you are expecting the "arrow through the head", whacky Steve Martin you might be disappointed (or more likely, pleasantly surprised) by the role. He is entirely believeable as Jonas Nightingale.

All in all, a great and very satisfying movie that I heartily recommend, and I am anxiously awaiting the DVD! This would definitely be one of the 10-15 films I'd want with me on a desert island!

This movie satisfies on all levels - a good story that's well paced, a sharp (witty) script, great music, an EXCELLENT performance from Steve Martin as the charismatic con-man evangelist, and a good supporing cast including Debra Winger and Liam Neeson.

Of course there are those (mostly professional "critics") who no doubt would seek to criticize the story/script, but pay no attention to them. This movie doesn't rely on fancy special effects, car chases, complicated plots or twists and turns(actually there IS a nice twist at the end!). What it IS is a powerful vehicle for a truly star peformance from Steve Martin with a generous helping of "trimmings" by way of a good supporting cast and good music.

You really have to go out of your way NOT to like this movie. But why bother - just enjoy it!

I had never heard of this movie before I saw it and I wasn't expecting it to be any good--but it is. It's really, really good.
Considering the star status of Steve Martin (who turns out an extrodinary performance in this film) why has it been so overlooked? Martin plays "Jonas Nightengale", a glib traveling evangalist, faith healer, and con man. When one of his trucks breaks down in the impoverished town of Rust Water, Kansas, he sets up his tent and invites the town to a revival. The sheriff (Liam Neeson) is determined to stop Nightengale from seperating the poor and desperate people from what little money they have. At first this film appears to simply be a cynical expose of the tricks fraudulent preachers use to shake down their flocks. But as it progresses it reveals itself to be something much more complex and subtle. At one point Nightengale, when confronted as being a fake, replies, "What difference does it make as long as I get the job done?" Yet when a real miracle occurs, something he can niether explain or control, his lack of faith is shaken and he actually becomes angry with God. As in real life conversions, the film unexpectedly turns you around 180 degrees by the end.

This movie has been one of my favorites since it hit the big screen many years ago. Not that I am old now, but I was a very young person when it came out, and being an avid lover of Gospel music, I was truly taken back by the music that was apart of this movie. Many Gospel music notables such as Ricky Dillard (Choir director) and Albertina Walker (soloist) quickly caught my eye as the movie and plot began to develop. I would truly recommend this movie to those who love Gospel music, and even those who love Steve Martin. He did a phenomenal job of playing a minister and a con simultaneously. I applaud him!!!!! I urge anyone that reads this review and is contemplating purchasing this movie to do so with no hesitation. You will not regret it!!!!!

This is one of my all-time favorite movies. Steve Martin gives a brilliant, multi-faceted performance, and Debra Winger (not one of my favorite actresses) is also very good here. The power of this movie is in the theme and how intelligently and skillfully it is developed.

I thought Steve Martin directed the movie, but he didn't. The director is Richard Pearce, who also directed "The Long Walk Home," another realistic, powerful story about an important social theme (segregation) with wonderful, subtle performances from Sissy Spacek and Whoopi Goldberg. Mr. Pearce is a very gifted director.

The story in "Leap of Faith" is about a traveling revival show, built on hucksterism, with Martin as "Jonas Nightingale," the main attraction. Almost all of the main characters are cynical at the outset, not just the traveling show folk, but also the sheriff (Liam Neeson) and the coffee shop waitress (Lolita Davidovich) in Rustwater, KN, the small town the traveling caravan breaks down in. What happens in this town changes the lives of everyone involved, but not in a sappy, hokey, gee-whiz kind of way. The movie is about faith, why people lose it and how they get it back.

This movie works on every level; it is well-directed, well-acted, wonderfully scored (the gospel music suits the story perfectly), and makes its point in a realistic but unexpected way. It is not a sermon, but a fascinating, entertaining look at how people are and how they can change.

One of the best films of Steve Martin's career, Leap of Faith is a poignant and often funny look behind the scenes of a flim-flam man out to con the faithful. Billed as a comedy but much more a look at the dark side of celebrity, demagoguery and religious persuasion, Leap of Faith reveals that God works in mysterious ways. Faith, when it's genuine, can work miracles and in it's light the false works of trickery are exposed.