The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Jessica Chastain is absolutely "fearless" in her performance as Tammy Faye in a very complex leading role. I went to see this film to watch her. Jessica Chastain blew my mind . There is no question in my mind that Chastain will be nominated for a best actress Oscar. She was tremendous and worth the price of admission.

The film is very entertaining and surprisingly funny given the subject matter. The production presented detailed dedication to period accuracy in every visual detail from set design , wardrobe , hair and make-up, direction & screenplay. A first class period piece in its own right.

In the 1970s and '80s Tammy Faye and her husband Jim Bakker rose from humble beginnings to create the world's largest religious broadcasting network and theme park, and were revered for their message of love, acceptance and prosperity. Tammy Faye was legendary for her indelible eyelashes, her idiosyncratic singing and her eagerness to embrace people of all walks of life.

I knew very little about the subject matter beyond what was in the news when I was a teen. This was covered in the film , but also expanded on the story telling with superb character development . Jessica Chastain raises up in this formula biopic about televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker by giving viewers an absorbing, amusing and provocative performance . It's a 'big' role with a physical transformation, (the race for best makeup begins here) ;To recreate her famous look, from the wigs, to the shoulder pads, and, of course, the spidery lashes, Chastain underwent a full transformation to portray Bakker over four decades, requiring four to seven hours in the makeup chair as makeup, wigs, and extensive prosthetic's were applied. It is a radiant , soulful performance and one that was very entertaining . Worth seeking out . 8/10.