Any movie that focuses on religion is bound to be a controversy. If it's a parody of faith, even moreso. At a time when real life televangelists were dropping like flies, this film about a con man posing as a revival preacher surely sparked a few heated debates.
Unfortunately, if people were too offended to give it a fair look, they missed a film that was essentially a true gem. On the surface, it was glitzy & tongue-in-cheek. All the while, the messages of what faith can be comes creeping up on you quietly. Steve Martin turns in what may be his best performance ever, playing the part as only he could & then lending a very human touch. To give him even more edge, his foil is expertly portrayed by Liam Neeson, who seemed to really fit the mold of small town sheriff. Lucas Haas, Lolita Davidovich & especially the small town locals all create a perfect ensemble, while the traveling band seems like any group of traveling carnival players.
In the end, the only real message of this movie is that faith, belief & even miracles exist within the person not the truth of the establishment. One of my absolute favorite movies ever!
