SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

2freensel I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.

Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

davidjanuzbrown There are a lot of people who miss the point of this movie, including one person who says there is no protagonist in the movie. There is one.... Christ. Everyone in the movie is not in good shape. A town that has high unemployment and crops dying due to a lack of rain, a boy who cannot walk named Boyd (Lukas Haas), the Town Sheriff Will Braverman (Liam Nesson), who is losing his faith, and of course, Evangelist/con artist Jonas Nightengale (Steve Martin) and his assistant Jane Larson (Debra Winger), who are both heading down a bad road. What Christ does (spoilers ahead) is where Boyd gets healed, and everyone (except Will) believes it was Jonas, but he knows that it was not him, but a much higher power, and he leaves the town behind, and on a trailer the driver asks him "Are you in trouble?' and Jonas replies: "No for the first time in a long time, I am not." Then rain finally comes to the town (the scene with the animals and crops really works well), and Jane & Will (who are now a couple) go up to Jonas's room, and find the letter he left for her along with a ring she always wanted. Basically Christ had a plan for Jonas, and although he was tempted by money (and lost Jane in the process), in the end, he did the right thing and saved himself in the process. Martin really puts on a great show in the tent with his "Fire & Brimstone" Sermons, but the most interesting scenes are Winger's. The scene where she puts on the ring, and the two butterfly scenes with Will work best. She only met him three days and you could tell it was going to become a lifetime. Excellent performances by Martin and especially Winger. 10/10 Stars

tieman64 "It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they've been fooled." - Mark Twain Directed by Richard Pearce, "Leap of Faith" stars Steve Martin as Jonas Nightengale, a con-man who masquerades as a Christian faith healer. When his tour-bus breaks down in small-town Kansas, Jonas sets about scamming the drought afflicted locals."I'll walk if it's God's will," a crippled kid tells Jonas. Jonas mocks the boy's faith – the kid's just another sucker - until what may or may not be a miracle jolts Jonas out of his cynicism. Designed to the beliefs of believers, atheists and agnostics, this miraculous climax is less an affirmation of Gods than a call for comion, hope and community over predation and despair.Though miscast, "Leap of Faith" remains one of Steve Martin's better films. Interesting and atmospheric, it's at its best when revealing the methods used by revivalists and faith healers to con congregations. Elsewhere Pearce offers wonderful location photography, his film adorned with open skies, rustic diners and star-lit circus tents. Co-starring Debra Winger and Liam Neeson.7.9/10 – For this material handled better, see "Elmer Gantry" (1960). See too "Red Lights" (2010).

Belishia I couldn't believe when the overall ratings for this movie falls under 6/10*.I would not comment in details as it has been deliberated by viewers but just paraphrasing.Steve Martin, who plays Jonas Nightengale, has the most effervescent, highly-entertaining role as a fake faith-healer who professed the ability of miraculous healing through the Lord Jesus Christ.When 'Stevemobile'(I am referring to his coach) broke down in a small town, he & his troops of charlatans-underlings attempted to make a fortune out the town-folks'(mostly hillbillies) pockets - by finagling them to donate for the sake of spiritual faith that he promised them, using Jesus' as a pawn in this highly charismatic faith healing 'game'.This movie shows in style and entertainment, how the snake-oil-salesman,Jonas, works in sophisticated knavery with his gangs, deploying his sidekicks to collect information and data by befriending the not-too-smart townfolks and then ing the details to Jonas beforehand at the multiple sessions of miraculous healings conducted in a huge tent, and when the 'miraculous-healer' revealed some of the 'secrets' infos of certain persons, they thought he was sent by God, selflessly unaware that those shills/sidekicks sent to befriend these poor folks was agents of Jonas.When the criminal dossiers of Jonas, from smoking weeds, defrauding bank-cheques, and others was revealed by the no-nonsense, Sheriff Will Braverman, played by Liam Neeson debunking his miraculous acts as nothing but smokes-and-mirrors, which resulted some of his believers who was about to exit his 'show', - Jonas came up with another state-of-the-art trick - this time itting what the Sheriff said about his past criminal records were true. He then proclaimed that through his sins, came repentance, and as a repented man, he received a special gift from God - now, drawing and winning the attendees faith AGAIN! After conning the hard-earned pecuniary from the rain-deprived townfolks, the most touching moments arrived when Jonas was challenged to a nigh mission-impossible task, this time to heal a kid who was relying on a pair of crutches since having a vehicle accident years back.Jonas reluctantly undertake this mission, knowing that to cure the kid was as impossible as pulling a car up Mount Everest. Having lost the hope of recovery, this kid never lost 1 thing - FAITH. He careened his path to the portable statue of Jesus, eking-out every effort and kissed the Lord's feet.Unbelievably, this kid dropped his crutches and began to walk. Jonas, was dumbfounded for a while but quick to claim another victory where he shouted 'It's a miracle, meeting with a standing, thunderous ovation from the crowds.This time, for Jonas, spiritual conscience implicated and indicted him- hard, knowing only God/Jesus could perform such miracle.While his entourage(they thought the act was set-up, a masquerade) knows that using this kid miraculous recovery would be a surefire launchpad making millions, an incontrovertible guilt haunts Jonas as he packed his bags, hitchhiked a ing truck and left this town.In the enger seat, another miracle happened when rains fell to this rain-deprived town and Jonas jovially shouted "Thank You, Jesus" I cannot all the parody, humorous sarcasms, the clever word-plays of this movie but I can say this movie deserves at least 8/10 and I am giving it 10/10.

ReelCheese LEAP OF FAITH takes an interesting premise but doesn't quite know what to do with it. Steve Martin is Jonas Nightingale, a fraudulent faith healer more interested in money and women then doing the Lord's work as he and his crew criss-cross the country putting on big tent revivals. A largely overlooked film, LEAP OF FAITH tries hard to blend some promising comedic elements with drama, but they mix about as well as oil and water. The film is also far too long, repetitive and lacking direction. Martin as the Elmer Gantryish star puts forth his usual likable effort, but even his considerable talents can't lift this one over the hump. A disappointment.