TOUCH
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1997 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 5.5 Alternative Scale: ** out of ****
United States, 1997 U.S. Release Date: 2/14/97 (limited) Running Length: 1:37 MPAA Classification: R (Profanity, nudity, sex, mature themes) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Skeet Ulrich, Bridget Fonda, Christopher Walken, Tom Arnold Director: Paul Schrader Producers: Lila Cazes and Fid Attieh Screenplay: Paul Schrader based on the novel by Elmore Leonard Cinematography: Ed Lachman Music: David Grohl U.S. Distributor: United Artists
These days, Elmore Leonard is hot. Not only have his novels GET SHORTY and now TOUCH recently been adapted into motion pictures, but at least two more titles are on the way, including Quentin Tarantino's anticipated version of RUM PUNCH. But, while GET SHORTY was a bonanza for just about everyone involved, TOUCH proves that having the rights to a Leonard story isn't enough. This particular adaptation is ambivalent not only about what it wants to say, but how it wants to say it. The result is a dissonant war between drama and satire, between characters and caricatures.
On the one hand, we have the story of Juvenal (Skeet Ulrich), a former Franciscan monk who now works at an alcoholic rehab center. Juvenal's a quiet, unassuming person with an amazing gift: he can heal with a touch. His arms, feet, and side bear the wounds of Christ, and, when he heals, they bleed. While Juvenal is a deeply spiritual person, he has become disillusioned about organized religion, and, when a smooth talking con man by then name of Bill Hill (Christopher Walken) comes along, Juvenal is easy prey. That's the drama.
On the other hand, we have all of the extraneous subplots orbiting around this tale of spiritual exploration. There are Bill's attempts to get the young man booked on a trash TV show (with host Gina Gershon) and secure the publishing rights to his story. A fundamentalist Christian (Tom Arnold) insists that Juvenal can only remain true to his calling by giving up his relationship with Lynn (Bridget Fonda), an "impure" woman. The mother (Lolita Davidovich) of one of Juvenal's miraculously healed children wants to prolong her fifteen minutes of fame. Finally, there are reporters and agents (played by Janeane Garofalo and Paul Mazursky, among others) who see Juvenal as a meal ticket. That's the satire.
Taken separately, either the satirical or the dramatic elements might have formed the backbone of an interesting motion picture. Together, they create an unfocused mess. The parody isn't as biting as it could be, and we've seen this kind of stuff before. Fundamentalist religion is an easy target, especially when it involves sleazy televangelists. The Tom Arnold character is a painfully irritating caricature who should have been purged from the script altogether. Christopher Walken, putting on his best oily smile, is one of the few aspects of the film's cynical side that works. That, and the "Juvenal Touched Me" tee-shirt worn by a healed child.
Then there are Skeet Ulrich and Bridget Fonda, who act like they're in another movie. As far as they're concerned, this is a romantic drama about two lonely souls finding each other. He's having a crisis of faith and she's having a crisis of conscience. They're not particularly concerned that they are being manipulated. In fact, at one point, Juvenal makes the absurd statement that he can't be exploited if he's allowing the exploitation to take place. Huh?
Part of the problem with TOUCH is that the audience is never sure of Juvenal. I don't mean that he's complex or cleverly ambiguous; he's murky and poorly-developed. We never get much of a sense of what he feels about having these amazing powers, how he reacts to the possibility that he may have lost them, and whether he's resentful of all the media attention. Ulrich radiates a blandness that does nothing to define his character. He and Fonda make an appealing couple, but their romance is only a small part of what's going on.
TOUCH waffles regarding its views about spirituality, as well. By the final reel, we're not sure if the film views faith with reverence or contempt. And what seems to be a clear-cut message about selling out is negated during the climax. Films like LEAP OF FAITH and THE RAPTURE, which dealt with similar issues, maintained consistent viewpoints that didn't leave the viewer unsure of the film makers' intentions.
Paul Schrader has done some interesting work in the past as both a director (LIGHT SLEEPER) and a writer (TAXI DRIVER). Here, however, he has gone off track. As intriguing as the material is -- and who wouldn't be interested in a story about a con man's attempts to exploit a miracle worker who may have lost his powers -- Schrader never gets a handle on the right approach. The result is disappointing and disjointed. Simply put, TOUCH just doesn't have the right feel.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net ReelViews web site: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
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