In this film, the ending was created first and then the writer worked backwards towards an unnatural, unbelievable beginning. What we end up with is actually two separate movies. The first half is a romance drama and the second half is a horror movie. And at no point did the two separate halves connect in a believable way. Preacher Eli, a mix of Mr. Rogers and Mayor Pete Buttigieg, develops an unexpected romantic/sexual relationship with a rough looking, cigarette smoking, meth using drifter. As any good preacher would do, he takes pity on the guy and gives him food and shelter. Of course, the preacher has a wife and she's no so gay friendly. A few late night outs and she's begins to get suspicious of Eli. At some point, (not shown) she follows him and snaps a picture of him embracing his drifter boyfriend. She shows the photo to Eli, who seems quietly shocked and upset since his big secret is now known. Up to that point, he seemed very willing to take risks with his boyfriend, by spending nights in bed with him, for example. But then there was a sudden, inexplicable break in his character. There were no NEW and clear external forces that caused this break. His character just turned on a dime. He, his wife and their Baptist congregation conspired to become Satan incarnate. Enter Mr. Hyde and his witchful wife.
