Boy, that's really a perfect word for it: mature. I think we can expand on that a bit. I think The Apostle first turns a lot of people off because they think it's a "Christian film," and it turns a lot of Christians off because it's not the kind of hokey dreck they expect in a film about Christianity. So it's really in no man's land out there.
The standard formula in that genre is some drifting from God, followed by tribulation, followed by Learning A Valuable Lesson. It's a whole genre of cinematic after-school specials for grown-ups. I guess The Apostle freaks some people out because it depicts a saved man who might not deserve salvation. And in that sense it just depicts more nuance than people usually like in any film, Christian or not.
If I had to pick one word to go with "mature," it'd probably be "authentic." I read that most of the other preachers involved were real, and improvised what they did just as they always do. And the energy that comes off of those scenes makes that very easy to believe.
Sorry, meant to reply to this earlier. It's nice that you were able to become closer before he died. I imagine that, whether or not that's a great relief in and of itself, it avoids a common kind of regret that you might have otherwise.
What got you hooked on horror and sci-fi? Seems like an awful lot of MoFos are the same way. I had an interest in them when I was younger but for some reason it never became a prolonged thing.
Ah, so your biological father was the one who liked the films. Any shared interests with your stepfather? Again, only if you don't mind me asking. I get curious.
I'm sorry to hear about your stepfather. I won't pretend to know what that's like; amazingly, at 28 no one close to me has ever died. Which is something I try not to contemplate, because I doubt there's much way to prepare for it.
(I think you meant to post that on my profile rather than yours.) Sling Blade is a great example of a film that gives off the same feel even though it's not too similar in terms of actual plot. The setting, the mood, the performance-centric nature of both films, and two leading men who are good inside but seem bad because of what they do in the moment. I wish The Apostle was as well-known as Sling Blade. I feel like a lot of people have no idea it exists.
It's nice that you and your father were able to bond over those films. Do you mind me asking; did he pass recently?
It truly is. My father loved that film, as well as Sling Blade, and while he was religious and I wasn't, those films were something we both shared a deep admiration for. They both mean a lot to me in a very personal sense, beyond their obvious enduring quality.
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Glad to find another fan.
