Jessica Chastain shines in this largely unremarkable Oscar-nominated film…
Director: Michael Showalter
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Andrew Garfield, Cherry Jones
Running time: 126 minutes
Each awards season, there are a select few films that circle the periphery between recognition and irrelevance. It’s hard to put your finger on why – there are better films in contention, naturally, but there are weaker ones too. The Eyes of Tammy Faye is that film this year, feeling like a vehicle for Chastain to receive an Oscar nomination, without offering much else. It’s not a film to write home about, nor one to spark a discourse like other contenders this year.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye chronicles the story of the titular character’s life, played by Jessica Chastain, from her discovery of the Lord in rural Minnesota, through her marriage to Jim Bakker, played by Andrew Garfield, right to the end and her fall from grace as America’s favourite evangelist. Tammy Faye and her husband Jim’s devotion to Christ and spreading his word sees them on the PTL Network, reaching twenty million viewers a day, but the film makes it clear this is a movie about the corrupting power of…well, power. As the couples’ influence grows, as does their lust for more donations and pledges, as they teeter on the brink of bankruptcy and destitution.
The film tries to tell a bold story about religion, noting the corruption and greed that follows those higher-ups in said institutions, yet it’s a tough story to tell – mainly because you either know this already, or you’re too blinded by faith to see. But while the film is told through the eyes of the titular character, it’s hard to relate as Tammy Faye never shows a level of remorse worthy of sympathy. It’s tough to walk out the movie and say it enlightened you or shocked you or shattered your view on the Church. Power corrupts. Water is wet. Next please.
Power corrupts. Water is wet. Next please
There are some shining lights, however, that explain why the film is being discussed in awards circles to begin with. Jessica Chastain is exceptional as Tammy Faye, bringing the Betty Boop of Christian Evangelism to life with just the right balance between captivating and sickeningly sweet. The hair and makeup, while objectively hideous, is an almost perfect recreation of the ostentatious look Tammy was famous for, descending as the movie progresses from pure innocence personified towards the perma-lined lips and the panda eyeshadow that made her stand out in the clean-cut world of Christianity.
Yet these positives struggle under the weight of the rest of the film. Andrew Garfield, who is experiencing an incredible year and has just scored a deserved Oscar nomination for tick, tick…BOOM! gives a much more inconsistent performance, and the chemistry with Chastain never clicks. The writing never feels more than uneven, the editing felt choppy and the music – a central component to the charm and success of Tammy Faye – felt more like something to endure instead of enjoy.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye is a vehicle to an Academy Award nomination for Chastain, and one which found its destination. Yet it feels like there was more meat on the bone, a greater movie to be crafted from such a captivating life.
Did you know? Chastain spent an average of four hours in the makeup chair per session, and expressed concerns that wearing it has permanently damaged her skin. “When you’re wearing it all day every day — the weight of it on your body, it stretches your skin out,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “I finally took it off and I was like, ‘I look 50 years old!'”
The Eyes of Tammy Faye is in cinemas now
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