Leap of Faith

Let's not bury the lead THE EDWIN HAWKINS SINGERS TEAR IT UP! And theres: Meat Loaf back when he was still the family sized version, not the banquet loaf; Phillip Seymour Hoffman looking like a young surfer who stayed on the beach just a couple of years past the rest of the boys; Lukas Haas looking soulful; Liam Neeson young, sleek and sexy; Lolita Davidovich smart and beautiful with that tension between cynical and idealistic that she does so well. And top it off with Steve Martin doing his thing and Debra Winger doing hers. A lovely cast!The story is just amusing enough to work - a traveling evangelist winging it out in the sticks when one of his big trucks beaks down sets out to scam everyone and does except it doesn't work as he expected when real "miracles" show up. Yes, this is a Hollywood cop-out but it's fun and kind of sweet.

MY OPINION HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS ON LEAP OF FAITH. I FIRST WATCHED LEAP OF FAITH AROUND 1993 WHEN IT WAS ON HBO OR MAYBE SHOWTIME. THIS IS A DEPARTURE FOR STEVE MARTIN WHO UP UNTIL THIS TIME WHEN THIS MOVIE CAME OUT HAD MOSTLY ONLY DONE SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE AND THEN COMEDY'S LIKE THE JERK PLANES TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES. ROXANNE, ETC. THIS IS STEVE MARTINS FIRST SERIOUS ROLE WHERE HE PLAYS A FAITH HEALER.NOW GRANTED THIS MOVIE IS A RELIGIOUS MOVIE AND BY ALL MEANS IS NOT PERFECT. IT IS RATED PG-13 BECAUSE OF SOME PROFANITY LIKE SH-T. BUT THERE ARE NO F BOMBS AND NO NUDITY. STEVE MARTIN PLAYS BROTHER JONAS A FAITH HEALER AND SCAM ARTIST HOWEVER AT THE END OF THE MOVIE JONAS SEES THE ERROR OF HIS WAYS AFTER WITNESSING THE MIRACLE OF A CRIPPLED BOY WALKING.THE STORY IS ABOUT A TOWN THAT IS IN A RAIN DROUGHT. AT ONE OF THE REVIVAL MEETINGS A CRIPPLED BOY COMES ON STAGE AND ASKS JONAS TO HEAL HIM. THE BOY DROPS HIS CRUTCHES AND BEGINS TO WALK JONAS CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT HE IS SEEING. TOO MAKE ALONG STORY SHORT NOT ONLY DOES THE BOY WALK BUT THE TOWN FINALLY RECEIVES MUCH NEEDED RAIN. JONAS DECIDES TO LEAVE AND ABANDON HIS MINISTRY MAKING HIS PIECE AT LAST WITH GOD. THE FINAL SHOT OF THE FILM IS JONAS CLIMBING INTO A TRUCK THE TRUCKER ASKS HIM ARE YOU IN TROUBLE ? OR RUNNING AWAY FROM SOMETHING ? JONAS TELLS THE TRUCK DRIVER NO SIR! FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I AM NOT IN TROUBLE. THE LAST SHOT WE SEE RAIN STARTING TO POUR DOWN JONAS SAYS YES SIR YES SIR ( TALKING TO GOD) COME ON BABY RAIN!! THANK YOU JESUS". HAVING MADE HIS PIECE WITH GOD JONAS RIDES AWAY WITH THE TRUCK DRIVER LEAVING HIS MINISTRY AND EMPLOYEES BEHIND!.

The role is a really different one for Steve Martin, who played it straight instead of for laughs this time and did a really great job of it. He satirizes the character, but I've seen faith healers on TV that are just as bizarre as this one, with his prancing, posturing delivery, show-biz antics, and glittering suits.. What I'd only read about is the way some faith healers use computerized databases, informers and overheard conversations to gather miraculous insights into the innocents in their congregations the way his character does in this movie.Very entertaining! I laughed through a lot of it and nearly cried at the end.

Leap of Faith is a first rate rendering of the art of the snake oil selling evangelists that operate in rural tent show 'revivals', victimizing the naive and easily led into parting with their hard-earned cash. Well-acted by Steve Martin, and with Debra Winger and Liam Neeson in support, the movie does a great job exposing the scam such faith healers perpetrate on the mindless masses. Then, in the final act, the story goes all murky and plods to a thoroughly unsatisfying ending,devoid of any reason and disappointing the viewer. This gives us three quarters of a four star movie with a one star ending. I opted to average it out to three stars, and I think that is generous.

I love Steve Martin so I'm a little biased. This is a classic! Steve Martin's character is a lovable con artist who swindles his way into the souls of small town folks across the country. Town after town he brings hope and restores faith in the destitute by miraculously healing people and showing irrefutable evidence of God's power. But is it all a show? Is he really a godless cur acting out of greed, praying on the sick and down-trodden? You'll have to watch the movie to find out. This timeless classic is one that sticks with you.

Steve Martin plays the evangelical preacher Jonas, loosely based on Peter Popoff. It’s the story of a total charlatan that rips off the gullible. The movie should have ended with Jonas being exposed for his crimes and sent to jail. Instead, it ends with Jonas performing TWO miracles and turning around the lives of a poor rural community.2/3 of this movie are excellent, leading to what could be a great finale, only for the final act to give redemption to a character that is completely undeserving. The sheriff played by Liam Neeson is the true hero of this film, but the story fails to end in a logical manner. It is worth watching for the star-studded cast, but the conclusion will disappoint anyone with a conscience.

░░░░░A FORGOTTEN STEVE MARTIN GEM░░░░░This is a magnificently underrated Steve Martin film. Everyone knows Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and The Jerk. But Leap of Faith has been undeservedly forgotten over the years.The fact is that it's one of Steve Martin's best movies. He plays a con artist tent revival preacher who runs into a distrusting sheriff in one small farming town his tour visits.It's great because it's not just a comedy. It's more like a very good dramatic story that happens to be very funny.If you haven't done yourself the favor of sitting down and watching Leap of Faith, you should fix that.͡° ͜ʖ ͡°

Steve Martin far too often represents the Lowest Common Denomintor for me as far as American humour is concerned. Tedious plots, interlinked with obvious one-liners and shallow humour. About as much enjoyment as kissing your sister ( and I mean the older, ugly one ). For years I had been raving about "Leap Of Faith" - a movie which seems to have been largely overlooked by most people - to anyone and everyone who cared to listen to me. I recently bit the bullet and bought myself a copy (via amazon, of course). It was just as good as I had remembered it. If, like me, you have a deep suspicion and a pronounced disgust about the true (commercial) motives behind many of these so-called charasmatic religious groups, this is the movie for you. Besides a bravura performance from Steve Martin himself, other value-added items are Debra Winger, looking sweet and winsome in some rather sexy short skirts, a firm and reliable sheriff in Liam Neeson and a smallish supporting role from future Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman. Oh, and by the way, the music is great too. If you are intrigued by the sub-title of the movie "Real Miracles. Reasonably Priced", then get to see it. It's a highly amusing and deeply cynical look at the business of pop religion and the ends that people will go to, to dupe the gullable masses, without a single whiff of a guilty conscience. Worthy of the price and of a regular re-look from time to time.

Great movie - I saw this many years ago and the DVD version I just ordered and received is to replace a defective VHS recording. I think Steve Martin is a very skilled comedian and a pretty decent actor too. This is one of his best and most perceptive films I think. I know many people rate "The Man With Two Brains" as his best movie, my view is that whilst its surreal humour was very good, this is better and more "relevant". Another of his film outings I think is very good is "Housesitter", with the equally zany Goldie Hawn - worth a repeat viewing too.

I enjoyed this DVD very much. Even though man is a manipulator and puts himself at the centre of the Universe God can still step in! Steve Martin was amazing (even though I am not a no. 1 fan of his). It is worth watching and sadly seeing the scams that take place but in the midst of all this God is VERY real. So though hilarious in parts it was a tear jerker in other parts. It caused me to have a greater sense of Christ's enabling even when obstacles are present. David Leap of Faith [DVD] [1992] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC ] Leap of Faith [DVD] [1992] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC

If you haven't seen Leap of Faith, Go-get!!! Steve Martin is as usual talented, funny, convincing and a brilliant fraudster! He heads up a travelling "Faith Healing" team who visit god-forsaken American communities, performing miracles and healing the sick..............anymore and I would spoil the development of the story!! In true American style, we are left with a moral!All thats needed from the viewer is a sense of humour!!

Maybe not for everyone but I like this film about salvation.

brilliant film and came quickly good service

Good film.

I'm a huge Steve Martin fan and so was never going to be disappointed by this film. It's great and has the advantage of having Meatloaf in it too. The story line is believable and Steve Martin hams it up no end. Love it!!!

Very good film got me on the edge of my seat

Received in Excellent order and an excellent film just what I wanted to make the day seem normal after a good Leap with Steve Martin

Great film

A brilliant heart warming film, one of Steve Martin's best.

This was a very enjoyable film. Did not see it when it was first released. Was recommended by friends. I would also recommend it to others.

my son loves this film

Steve Martin is someone I find is a bit hit or miss, usually more miss (e.g. Pink Panther). Yet, ever since I saw him years ago in an unexpectedly funny/good film; "The Man With Two Brains", a 4 star movie, he's someone I've wanted to find funny more than he actually is. (Can't explain why, must be some sort of psychological 'imprinting' going on!)Anyhow, in this flick, Steve Martin departs from his typical 'idiot' roles. And he delves into the darker side of his character in a clever and very adept way and delivers a strong and very worthy performance as a quick talking, street smart hustler who sees religion as a nifty business to scam and get-rich-quick from. As he says; "if God exists, why did he make so many suckers?"He plays 'Jonas Nightengale' a shallow, self-interested, self-obsessed and self-appointed 'minister'. 'What is my next conquest, who's holding my next buck' seems to be his motto. And yet, he's not so displeasing as you don't care for him, you learn bit by bit in subtle ways about things that made him the way he his and even though he displays narcissistic traits, you can't help but feel some sympathy for him. In this film Martin brims with confidence and charisma and it seems the territory has been made just for him, (and as a foot note to his agent, he should make more movies like this).His primary and perfect foil is played by Debra Winger, his beautiful and equally cunning assistant; her character is a strong, smart, and sassy, and in essence she's the 'power behind the throne'. She also has a back-story which never truly gets developed but it's her passion for what she does that makes Jonas' success all the more believable.Martin has a large entourage; a whole travelling gospel side-show, though not everybody is 'in' on his fake miracle-making tour, yet misfortune leads them to make an unplanned stop n stay, for four days, in a poor and previously unimportant town.Never one to let a quick buck pass him by, Jonas decides to set up shop and let the show begin...Liam Neeson (with a dodgy accent) plays the part of the town sheriff who sees through Jonas' "smoke and mirrors" routine and tries to warn the townsfolk... but they're too eager and in need of real miracles to care about reality... and then... that's when things start to get interesting...I won't spoil the surprise ending, but the movie stays poignant and happily avoids the expected drop into slushiness.I'd recommend this film to anyone from any background. Make your own leap of faith and order it now, you won't be disappointed.