Synopsis

After a personal and professional collapse, Texas Pentecostal preacher Sonny Dewey leaves home and assumes a new identity in Louisiana. There, he joins a small church community, begins preaching on local radio, and tries to rebuild his life through faith and service. His new mission gives him purpose, but his past and his volatile nature continue to challenge his hopes of redemption.

Factoids & Trivia

• Robert Duvall began writing the screenplay in the 1980s, after observing a Pentecostal preacher at a small chapel in Arkansas. He was particularly interested in the rhythm, cadence, and theatrical energy of evangelical preaching.

• After years of failing to find studio backing, Duvall financed the approximately $5 million production himself. October Films later acquired the movie after a bidding contest at the Toronto International Film Festival, reimbursing his investment.

• Principal photography lasted seven weeks and took place mainly in western Louisiana, with additional establishing footage filmed around the Dallas area.

• The production combined professional performers with musicians and local participants. When Wilford Brimley became unavailable for one role, country singer Billy Joe Shaver was cast instead.

• Rick Dial, who plays a radio station owner, was a Lafayette furniture salesman during production and reportedly traveled between the set and his store during a sales period.

• Country music was central to the film's sound. Songs were recorded specifically for the project by Lyle Lovett, Patty Loveless, and Steven Curtis Chapman, while Duvall later recorded "I Love to Tell the Story" with Emmylou Harris for the soundtrack.

• The film earned Duvall an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor at the 70th Academy Awards in 1998.

• At the 1998 Independent Spirit Awards, The Apostle won Best Feature, Best Director, and Best Male Lead. It remains one of the most prominent independent films built around an unusually personal creative and financial gamble.