Touch

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source: Touch

I have to admit that I couldn't finish watching this movie. for the first half-hour or so, I was entranced. the story was fascinating: the kid from "Scream" playing a Jesus figure who can heal people! and Bridget Fonda, an actress I usually like. unfortunately, as soon as the main characters got together, the movie went from interesting to rom-com silliness. the minute I saw them laying on the couch across from each other, tossing popcorn into each other's mouths, I knew I wasn't going to make it to the end. now I don't know; maybe the movie has a kick-butt ending that makes it all worthwhile. but I wasn't going to waste any more of my life waiting to find out.

Schraeder slumming in Tarentino territory with mixed results. Story provides an interesting contrast to Schraeder's usual redemption driven protagonists.Strictly to fill out the lower portion of the director's resume. No fierceness, no edge.

I did not enjoy this movie. I read the book a while ago, and, although I can't remember exactly how I felt about it, I must have liked it somewhat, or I would not have rented this film. I rented it mostly to see Christopher Walken and Janeane Garofalo, but even they couldn't save this. It's quite boring, and it seems like a lot of the actors can't convey the story realistically. I really wanted to like this movie, but it was impossible.

Elwin Worrel abuses his blind wife Virginia when he gets drunk. Bill Hill and Juvenal are present after one of his episodes, and when Juvenal puts his hands on Virginia, HALLELUJAH! She can SEE! Bill, who once had a church in Georgia with a 100-foot-cross and a blue neon sign saying "Jesus Saves", decides to take advantage of the situation. Lynn, who manages a rock band, goes undercover at the alcohol treatment center where Juvenal works. She discovers that he was a monk (born Charlie Lawson) and that he bleeds from where Jesus bled. Standing in the way of possible success for Bill is August, a maniac who belongs to an organization seeking to return traditional Catholic mass. This was a very strange movie, and not one that really appealed to me. It seemed to be a comedy, but a very dark one. What stood out the most for me was Tom Arnold, who often showed he had a career only because of who his wife was, but also had his good moments. In the courtroom near the start of the movie, he was very funny as he acted like he had the right to behave any way he wanted regardless of how the judge felt--his faith justified whatever he felt he needed to do. Arnold was quite convincing and respectful reading scripture (we heard him while seeing something else) and while leading a mass in place of Father Nestor, who was on one of his frequent bathroom breaks. His character had a strong faith and wouldn't back down, though he occasionally cursed and in other ways showed he wasn't "that" type of Christian. But he didn't show a positive image of Christianity; he felt using violence was justified. Hill also didn't show Christianity positively, but he was more of a joke. Skeet Ulrich did a good job as Juvenal, but that character didn't appeal to me. Certainly the blood didn't. There are certainly people who would like this kind of film, but I rarely found it funny.

Paul Schrader's "Touch" is somewhat like "Stigmata" was a few years ago and unlike "Stigmata", "Touch" is more satire instead of horror. The film is based on the novel by Elmore Leonard about a former monk, Juvenal (Skeet Ulrich), who has the chance to heal people that have some untreatable health problems with his hands. At the same time that, Juvenal suffers from stigmata, as Christ did on the cross. When the word about Juvenal becomes public, Bill Hill (Christopher Walken) and his assistant, Lynn (Bridget Fonda) are out to exploit him while August Murray (Tom Arnold), a jealous religious zealot who is out to prevent Hill and Lynn from using Juvenal. Schrader, who wrote and directed the movie gives it a very appealing up to point and stops. Ulrich and Fonda do bring a nice chemistry on the screen, which helps the film in a way. The performances by Ulrich, Walken, and Fonda are very good, but Tom Arnold is hilarious in his scene-stealing role. I thought "Touch" could have been a better satire film, but it does have an interesting way of presenting it.

Writer/Director Paul Schrader continued his eclectic career with this film based on an Elmore Leonard novel about an uncharismatic healer (with stigmata) whom others wish to exploit for their own purposes. Skeet Ulrich, plays the healer Juvenal with just the right amount of curiosity, emotional detachment, and innocence. The always watchable Christopher Walken plays the scheming Bill Hill, a disgraced evangelist of the worst kind more concerned with drumming up business than saving souls. His plan is to enlist his significant other Lynn, Bridget Fonda, to infiltrate a rehabilitation clinic (where Juvenal is holed up) in order to gain Juvenal's trust before she and Hill make their exploitation pitches. The trouble is she falls in love with Juvenal, creating more than just a few problems. Meanwhile, August Murray, wonderfully played by Tom Arnold, is a religious zealot who sees through Bill's and Lynn's schemes, and he goes all out to block their attempts to exploit Juvenal while trying to get Juvenal behind his own agenda against the Catholic Church. Arnold's character is essentially the religious zealot version of Michael Douglas' character William Foster in Falling Down. Schrader has concocted a complex comedy/drama about religion, belief, and love without being exploitative himself, which is no small feet considering the subject matter. There's a problem with the film in that it's not entirely successful with how it treats its subject. Some viewers will be put off by the comedic contrast between the Walken, Fonda, and Arnold-influenced scenes compared to Juvenal's healing scenes. It's difficult to tap an emotional response to Juvenal because viewers won't necessarily be sure of Schrader's intent. However, the performances are genuine enough, the characters are enjoyable, and the screenplay is above average with dialog that is as clever as it is humorous. Gina Gershon, Janeane Garofalo, and Lolita Davidovitch all offer great support. Viewers who are familiar with Schrader's religious background will no doubt garner some enjoyment from the film, while other viewers may have trouble with the subject matter all together. Director Paul Mazursky plays Artie. *** of 4 stars.

Apparently touched by God, a young man named Juvenal (Skeet Ulrich) experiences episodes of Stigmata (spontaneous bleeding from five wounds just like Jesus after being crucified) and is able to heal the sick. Juvenal's first reaction to this phenomena is to hide in solitude. But then he decides to go on TV and signs a book deal with the help of evangelist/con-artist Bill Hill (Christopher Walken). His holy gift also helps him bag sexy music promoter Lynn Faulkner (Bridget Fonda), who doesn't seem to mind that his powers go away after they sleep together. This all may seem far-fetched at best. But then the Lord does work in mysterious ways.