Touch (1997)

• Year: 1997
• Released: 14 Feb 1997
• Country: United States
• Adwords: 3 nominations
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120357/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/touch
• Metacritics:
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English
• MPA Rating: R
• Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
• Runtime: 96 min
• Writer: Elmore Leonard, Paul Schrader
• Director: Paul Schrader
• Cast: Bridget Fonda, Christopher Walken, Skeet Ulrich
• Keywords:

	5.6/10
	56/100
	false% – Audience

Touch Storyline

When Juvenal, a presumed miracle worker, appears on the scene Bill Hill attempts to exploit him but his plans go astray with the untimely intervention of August Murray and the developing relationship between Juvenal and Lynn Faulkner.—Mark Smith

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Touch Movie Reviews

Interesting take on a number of Christian/religious topics

I liked this movie a lot, apparently putting me at odds with quite a few of the reviewers. I am not sure what they expected, which was the puzzling part of reading their reviews.

This movie covers a lot of ground which is maybe what throws people off? Some obvious highlights –

* It’s a love story * It puts fanatical christians in a bad light (which they likely deserve,) but then it also seems to forgive them a bit * It shows something I think is true – even if real miracles do/will occur, many will doubt them * It makes a clear distinction between church and faith – clearly you can have faith in God (or god if you prefer) but not the church * It showcases Tom Arnold really well; an actor I feel people underrate * It questions the concept of sex as a sin – people obviously feel the need to transfer their own hangups onto other people

Walken is good, as usual. Not his best, but good. I was impressed with Skeet. He’s good looking, charismatic and portrays the gentle spirit I think works for this role. Surprised I don’t see him in more movies.

The girl was OK. I know her name, and want to say I have seen her in more dominate roles. She felt a bit passive or something though. Not a big deal, but I felt she could have contributed a bit more somehow.

It’s not profound or anything, but it implies the asking of a lot of good questions, with perhaps some implied answers.

Just to put a good word in, an Elmore based movie I enjoyed more was Get Shorty…I give that one higher marks. And Jackie Brown is amazing. So watch all 3 of these if you are a fan, IMO 🙂

Schrader Entertains With Oddball Film

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.

The miracle worker

Elmore Leonard novels tend to deal with sleazy characters operating at the fringes of society. “Touch” is a strange book in that the sleaze bags are presented in a different light. They’re not the obvious con men, but they are people that are trying to take advantage of a situation that is perceived as a money producing scheme.

Paul Schrader has adapted and directed, but the essence of the book is somehow elusive by what is presented to us. Yes, we realize that Bill Hill is into making a fast buck if he can sell Juvenal as the miracle worker with supernatural powers. In fact, this theme has been done more successfully in other films.

What the director accomplishes are good performances from his cast. At times the movie feels flat and without a clear direction as where it wants to go; we don’t care too much about Juvenal after he loses his ‘touch’ and he becomes a mere mortal.

Skeet Ulrich is excellent as Juvenal; this actor is always a welcome sight in any movie he is in. Christopher Walken turns a controlled performance as Bill Hill, the man in search of a good con that will do anything to get it done. Bridget Fonda is also low key as Lynn, the skeptical woman who sees good in Juvenal and ends up falling for him. Also very effective is Tom Arnold, the man that wants to take the church into the right path and will stop at nothing to protect his own views.