just because the main character be oh so complex do not mean the movie be go to be interesting . and just because robert duvall be one of the great actor in the world do not mean he be also go to be a great director and screenplay writer . the apostle certainly support the idea that great actor make lousy director . obviously i be of the minority opinion . much like a charismatic preacher with a gullible flock and this movie seem to have bamboozle a large number of respectable critic and laypeople and include my brother whom i love and who insist i watch this movie . whether i will be able to forgive him remain to be see . like many actor direct project and this one creak under the weight of it creator humongous ego . a somebody else here rightfully point out and duvall be way too old to play a guy who be a toddler in 1939 and whose mother look like his wife and be marry to farrah fawcett and who would slobber over miranda richardson without her laughing at him a a dirty old man . apparently duvall do not want to let a young actor play sonny because he could not resist the chance to preach . and do he ever preach . all the time . at least 80 % of the scene consist of him preach . ( spoiler come ) even when he be about to be arrest for the murder of his wife lover and we still have to put up with 20 minute of preaching and singing and shouting and praise the lord before the police can finally lead him away . an actual sermon would not go on as long a this movie do at two hour and 14 minute . the apostle be a sermon punctuate by the occasional plot point . and unless sonny be go to get some sorely need humility quickly i do not care what become of him . he be a despicable character but not very interest in his odium because a we hear over and over ad nauseum he love the lord and therefore be not a villain . he be complex . he have weakness . apparently he cheat on his wife because they talk about it . why they couldn not have substitute one womanize scene for one of the many preaching scene be unknown . what make the movie so boring be that this supposedly complex character do not develop . he do not change . he do not undergo any spiritual experience himself despite the fact that he be a murderous drunk . the phrase physician and heal thyself come to mind . one could say here preacher and save thyself . why so many people be sing this movie praise be odd though not entirely a mystery . a brilliant actor direct it . it be about serious matter and it attempt to do something different . it setting be rural which seem to charm a lot of people . and it certainly seem to go out of it way to avoid be confuse with entertainment . no and it aspire to be high art . just because it have aspiration do not mean it succeed in those aspiration . it be a prolonged and self congratulatory and one note and boring and plot less abomination .