The Eyes of Tammy Faye review: Jessica Chastain shines in film about scandalous evangelist couple

The biopic of Tammy Faye Bakker, who along with her husband Jim, created a multi-million televangelist network, only to see it all crumble.

Andrew Garfield and Jessica Chastain in a still from the film

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Story: In the early 60s, newly-married Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye Bakker go from being god-fearing to a more progressive form of god-loving that’s driven by ambition. By monetising faith, they build an empire that reached 20 million people at one point, which they just couldn’t sustain.

Review: In September this year, when the biopic of tele-evangelist couple Tammy Faye Bakker and her husband Jim Bakker came out, it didn’t get a global release, choosing instead an outing in the USA only. Today, the film, which has Jessica Chastain as the title character Tammy Faye and Andrew Garfield in the role of Jim, was made available for audiences here on Disney+Hotstar and I must admit that the only reason I watched it was the lead couple.

I’ve never been a fan of evangelists or other third-party intermediaries, so, while I am aware of the multi-billion enterprises in the business, it does not interest me and neither did the film. But then, this is a biopic, a re-telling of the circumstances surrounding the rise and subsequent fall from grace of a Christian evangelist couple who quite literally changed the game of ‘missionary work’ on TV and made it showbiz. The Bakker couple were a big phenomenon in the USA in the 60s and 70s, so, if you can give this a dispassionate watch, chances are that you will be amazed at how they monetised faith and were able to get members of their ‘The 700 Club’ pay $10 each to keep them in business, while you also wonder how much of their act was honest work of spreading the word of God and how much was fake.

From having literally nothing, to putting up an empire wasn’t exactly built on a foundation of honesty. This scandalous evangelist couple diverted funds from the mission to set up other ventures – both for charitable work and otherwise - that would, in turn, become money spinners themselves. At one point, the Bakker’s were reaching a whopping 20 million people through their own satellite network. The glory didn’t last very long; powerful beings within their network itself did not take kindly to their rise and Jim even ends up in prison for fund misappropriation.

The beauty of Jessica Chastain the actress is that you see less and less of her and more and more of Tammy Faye, as the narrative progresses over a timeline spanning a couple of decades. Much of this, of course, is also because of the fantastic work by the makeup department. Andrew tries his best too, but feels a tad miscast as Jim. We love Andrew for his boyish charm and if that ain’t there, well…

Verdict: This is the tricky part – should you or should you not watch this film? Well, it’s not a must watch. Google also tells me that there is a documentary on the life of Tammy Faye that’s a good watch, so, don’t be enamored by the cast. If you really do want to know more about the Bakkers, be your own judge and take your pick!

Share

Cast and Crew

John Carter

PTL Patron

Jessica Chastain

Tammy Faye Bakker

Cherry Jones

Rachel Grover

Louis Cancelmi

Richard Fletcher

Fredric Lehne

Fred Grover

Jay Huguley

Jimmy Swaggart

Michael MacCauley

Big Man

Coley Campany

Dede Robertson

Wes Jetton

Male Nurse

Maurie Speed

Nurse

Mark Cameron Wystrach

Gary Paxton

Julie P. Tuggle

Pledge Lady

Dana Marks

True Believer

Randall P. Havens

Steve Pieters

Carolyn Mints

Wanda

Kelsi Chandler

PTL Patron

John Johnson

Teenage Punk #2

Mellie Boozer

Tammy's Choir Member

Bonnie Cole

Phone Bank Operator

Nic Curtis

Camera Man

Jessica Nicole Donoso

Wardrobe Lady

Chris TC Edge

PTL Backstage Crew

Willie Tyrone Ferguson

News Camera Man

Kimberly Hester Huffstetler

Congregation Member

Daniel Johnson

Photographer

Bryan Metoyer

Prison Visitor

Christopher W. Norris

Couch Preacher

Kevin J. O'Connor

PTL Crew Supervisor

JeriAnne Rushing

PTL Audience Member

LaChelle Walker

PTL Crew

Brian Welch

Falwell's Man

Andrew Garfield

Jim Bakker

Vincent D'Onofrio

Jerry Falwell

Sam Jaeger

Roe Messner

Gabriel Olds

Pat Robertson

Chandler Head

Little Tammy Faye

Dan Johnson

Preacher

Grant Owens

Colonel Sanders

Craig Newkirk

Doctor

Jess Weixler

Makeup Artist

Lindsay Ayliffe

Old Teacher

Alan Boell

Stephen Chow

Lila Jane Meadows

Tammy Sue

Kelly Borgnis

PTL Patron

Joe Ando-Hirsh

Teenage Punk #1

Grayson Carter

Teenage Punk #3

Allen Andrews

PTL Sax Player

Tommy Campbell

Falwell Preacher

Brian Cole

Audience Member

Chris Emrich

Mover BG

Brent Moorer Gaskins

Choir Member

Brent Gribble

Dinner

Michelle Brown Houston

Kenny Keen

Oral Robert Audience

Stephanie McIntyre

PTL

Rigo Nova

PTL Crew

Patrick Ashley O'Neal

Mover

Kassidy Rushing

PTL Audience Member

Joshua Stephens

Audience member

Monica Walsh

Phone Bank Operator

Klara Wilder

Audience Member

Where To Watch