I'm going to start in a pessimistic sort of way, by saying that almost every character in the film is a caricature of some sort. There's Christopher Walken as a money-vampire who looks at a miracle and starts making plans to exploit it. There's Tom Arnold, the religious fanatical - enough said. There are Gina Gershon and Janeane Garofalo in supporting roles as an incisive talk show host and a cynical newspaper reporter, respectively. And then somehow, caught in the middle of all this is a shy, confused, tender young man with the power to heal.

Juvenal (Skeet Ulrich) is not one of the booming, preaching images that many people have come to associate with saints. We don't learn how he got his powers - which makes sense, because he doesn't know either. He is not flawless; he is attracted to women and does not necessarily agree with the philosophies of the church. And rather than being a pure white winged angel with a golden touch, he bleeds profusely from the marks of the stigmata as he performs his miracles.

We meet him as a woman named Lynn (Bridget Fonda) is roped in by money-grubbing Bill Hill (Walken) to try to find out if Juvenal is for real. He sees through her straight away, remarking casually that she was going to tell him that she had a tumour in her breast. Their relationship blossoms, which angers church leader August (Tom Arnold) who would prefer Juvenal to remain pure and holy.

We could perhaps have done without some of the supporting characters. Wonderful as Gina Gershon is, especially as you watch her accent become suddenly cultured when the cameras switch on, both her and Janeane Garofalo's characters would probably not have been missed. I'm not sure whether to recommend this film or not. If you're looking for a raucous comedy or a big-action thriller, this isn't the one for you. I loved it - but rent it first, and make up your own mind.


A Refreshing Look at God, Faith, Love and Media   August 27, 2001
T. Halkin (Munich, Germany)
3 out of 5 found this review helpful

Don't be fooled by the subject matter - an ex-monk, who can heal the sick by touching them, but suffers stigmata each time, gets caught up in a whirl of religious fanatics, big-business evangelists and ratings-hungry media - this is a sweet and touching romantic comedy! Leave it to Paul Schrader to find a way to do some heavy soul-searching without getting heavy-handed, yet always remaining quirky as we know him from his dramas. A wonderful supporting cast (Christopher Walken, Tom Arnold, Janeane Garofalo, Lolita Davidovich and Gina Gershon) adds color and texture to the story without detracting from the quiet chemistry going on between Skeet Ulrich and Bridget Fonda. When Ulrich says without grandeur that he believes in God and miracles, you don't even think twice about it - you believe every word he says at face value. A rare performance.