Yes, Jessica Chastain is a terrific actress. She gives an award worthy performance (singing included) in "The Eyes of Tammy Faye." Chastain reportedly bought the rights to Tammy Faye Messner's (formerly Bakker) story for $5,000. This is ironic because in her heyday as the reigning queen of evangelical TV's PTL and Heritage USA in the 1970s and 1980s, Tammy Faye and her husband Jim brought in millions. This film dramatizes Tammy Faye's early life through her marriage to Jim and the downfall of their religious empire due to financial improprieties and a wee little sex scandal. One cannot but marvel at Chastain's physical transformation (big lashes and bigger makeup). She successfully channels Tammy Faye's particularly peculiar singing style with "Don't Give Up (On the Brink of a Miracle)" and "Jesus Keeps Takin' Me Higher and Higher." This film does not absolve Tammy Faye's excesses, but Andrew Garfield does good work as the foil portraying Jim as a physically distant husband, oozing prosperity gospel religiosity. Yes, Tammy Faye popped a lot of pills, loved her furs and spending cash, but her desire to love people was on full display as she embraced the LGBTQ community while the highly influential Rev. Jerry Falwell (Vincent D'Onofrio) urged culture war. Broadway legend Cherry Jones is a delight as Tammy Faye's mother and conscience. The film captures the era consistently like a full-throttled gospel song, but misses the boat on the final passages, ending the story before one of the more interesting parts of Tammy Faye's second chapter. Nonetheless, it certainly deserves lots of eyes watching it.

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