Leap of Faith (Review)

leap_of_faith_ver1Jonas Nightingale (Steve Martin) is a travelling evangelist with a large cast of assistants, mostly groomers, analysts and spotters, who hep him fleece large crowds of gormless people who desperately want to believe in something.

Nightingale – and many other real people across the decades – has worked out how to turn this belief into profit, using a mix of fast talking and faux sincerity.

The years of quick cash have rendered Nightingale immune to criticism and scathing reviews. He has heard it all and has an answer to everything. He is a snake-oil salesman. A sham. A smooth tongued charlatan.

Unfortunately for those he cons, the travelling circus is never anywhere long enough to find Nightingale out, let alone make him answer to these claims.

This changes when the crew finds themselves stranded in a small town for a few days. A town in the midst of a drought so lengthy that it has become poor and pathetic. Ever the opportunist, Nightingale decides to make a few bucks and scoot. His angle is to give hope of rain.

Will (Liam Neeson) is the sheriff of the town. He recognises quickly that there is little behind the bluster and attempts to unveil nightingale and the show for what it is; a charade designed to steal money. But hope sells, and for a long while even the most sensible citizens ignore Will and give their hard earned money in the name of possibility.

Being based in one spot for even a short time leaves even the most bulletproof more vulnerable. Those you have wronged know where you are. Even the weakest can summon numbers and the least equipped can formulate plans. It also makes it difficult to ignore genuine pleas for help and the plight of those beyond desperation.

Will the charismatic but arrogant and self centred Nightingale learn the error of his a’cheatin’ ways, or will the small town folk stand idly by as he picks their pockets?

I realise that the blurb above makes Leap of Faith sound like a heavy drama, but of course with a glitzed out Steve Martin given license to act the fool this couldn’t be serious for long. Unfortunately it suffers by not being enough of anything. The comedic elements are dulled by the human elements. The romantic subplots are muddy and unnecessary. The uplifting redemptive moments are of course present, but they come with a message all too obvious and frankly unearned. It shouldn’t take a kid with a psychological block learning to walk again to make a con-man go straight.

Nope, as much as I love Steve Martin, I cannot say that a film about a no good manipulator is worthwhile, when the film tries to use the same colds earthed methods of emotional manipulation on me.

Final Rating – 6.5 / 10. Leap of Faith certainly has its moments – the choir’s gospel music is consistently sublime – but this film can sell its message to someone else.

About OGR

While I try to throw a joke or two into proceedings when I can all of the opinions presented in my reviews are genuine. I don't expect that all will agree with my thoughts at all times nor would it be any fun if you did, so don't be shy in telling me where you think I went wrong... and hopefully if you think I got it right for once. Don't be shy, half the fun is in the conversation after the movie.
This entry was posted in Film, Movie Reviews, The Grey Area. Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.