This film is at war with my memory of the Bakker scandal. In my head, these are two con artists who bilked people for millions. In the film, she’s portrayed as largely innocent which creates dissonance in my head. But I also admit that I could be falling for the media exposure and horrific stand-up comedy jokes about them which isn’t fair. So my feeling on the movie kept jerking back and forth… and it didn’t help the acting saves the movie because the movie isn’t saving itself.

The film, based on the better documentary that I barely remember from 2000, is about Jim and Tammy Bakker, the first televangelists with a satellite for bilking people out of their money. Or, you know, for spreading the good word of Jesus (who clearly didn’t want them to be poor).

The film tosses Jim Bakker under the bus, which is fair since he’s the one who went to prison. It largely gives a pass to Tammy… while also kind of mocking her at the same time. I mean, the name of the movie tells you everything they really think about her, right? Crazy lady with the crazy eyes?

But they do treat her well and I’m not sure if that’s the right choice. Like I said, I remember them both being crooks. Certainly she should have known better, you’d think. Or at least feel bad for living so large.

But whichever is true, Jessica Chastain inhabits the character. It’s probably her best performance… or at least her best imitation. She’s wonderful. Andrew Garfield is… he just doesn’t seem right. He always looks too young and too thin… though his actual performance is fine. But my mind’s image of Jim Bakker doesn’t match… though when I look back at old photos, he’s not that far off. That said, Vincent D’Onofrio kills it as Jerry Falwell.

In the drawn-out end of the film, we are meant to feel bad for Tammy who has avoided jail but still has to figure out how to make a living. So they let her sing a song that is occasionally backed by a choir which seems to be them mocking her crazy, crazy brain. So who knows what they think?

The movie is uneven… watchable for the acting, but uneven for the story. Perhaps if you have no thoughts or memories of these two chuckleheads, you won’t have my cognitive dissonance. But if you don’t know anything about them… would you even care enough to watch a movie about them?

Score: 79