sonny is as devout as southern ministers come. once a prominent revivalist preacher with his own congregation and the ideal life, it all seems to come crashing down on him: his wife is having an affair; his church votes to remove him; and his previously unspoken alcoholism and temperament get the better of him and force him on the run from the police. however, through his ordeal his faith never wavers. he is congruent and admits to his mistakes. he feels his only way out is to atone and to be reborn. after self baptizing he is resurrected as “the apostle EF” (his first and middle initials) and finds the salvation he is looking for when a small town devoid of a place of worship follow him.

i was going to pick the scene where robert duvall talks billy bob thorntons “troublemaker” out of demolishing the church – a powerful scene of its own accord – but duvalls self-baptism is probably the most understated, and most important, scene in the film. when i first watched the apostle, granted too young to understand much of the films themes to begin with, i found myself wondering where the conflict was. why should i care? EF hadnt really atoned for anything had he? wasnt that the whole point of the movie: that by taking everything away that EF had taken for granted, then God was telling him what he really needed? yes, but he still put someone in the hospital (essentially killing him, if the homicide detectives at the end are any indicator) and, this might just be my own interpretation but, he seemed like a bit of a deadbeat dad at the start of the film. his wife is scared of him, and God and Jesus take precedence over his children even if he doesnt feel that they do. the only scene i can think of where there is real atonement for his transgressions is this short scene where he baptizes himself. apparently this is the turning point for him, and coincidentally it takes place almost halfway through the picture. but if you arent paying attention you would never know such an important moment took place.

this understatedness could easily have derailed duvalls film but it doesnt. it just makes it feel more grounded and homey. another addition to the small town old white man finding himself and touching others in an appropriate way along the way movies, with sling blade its biggest comparison for me (also coincidentally, released a year earlier and also starring thornton and duvall). not bad.