Before long he's brought his litany to the airwaves, refurbished an abandoned old church, and found his fold. Duvall dominates The Apostle in a performance so rousing, you almost want to jump to your feet and shout. He chants, preaches, moves and literally dances, microphone in hand, spreading love, spouting Scripture, and praising the Lord. He's an intense man, burning with the spirit. It's understandable why his wife would just want out.
Sonny is too much.
For Sonny, life has no recesses. A church to build, an orphanage to plan, the poor to feed and souls to save. There is no rest for the driven. Duvall walks a fine line in The Apostle . The role easily could have slipped into caricature, or could have been too intensely religious.