Finally a movie that seizes Martin's true talent: his stand-up act!
And what a bullseye his performance is: all the flailing and jerking of his career defining 70s stage work, caffeinated with a dose of early 90s grunge fatalism.
The message of the film is that televangelists are basically stand-up comedians.
However Martin's character has been described as a "con artist" instead. But a con-artist is someone who uses elaborate tricks to fool his rather enlightened victims.
Martin's "tricks" here however are merely circus tomfoolery. Appropriately he stages his shows in a circus tent.
It is this failure of distinction by the townspeople between the clown and the con-artist, where the satire of the film really hits its target.
Unfortunately the satire is a bit washed out by the fairy tale ending in which the protagonist must pay back for making a career on abusing the "Lord's" name, so that the town fools can have their "miracle".
And what a bullseye his performance is: all the flailing and jerking of his career defining 70s stage work, caffeinated with a dose of early 90s grunge fatalism.
The message of the film is that televangelists are basically stand-up comedians.
However Martin's character has been described as a "con artist" instead. But a con-artist is someone who uses elaborate tricks to fool his rather enlightened victims.
Martin's "tricks" here however are merely circus tomfoolery. Appropriately he stages his shows in a circus tent.
It is this failure of distinction by the townspeople between the clown and the con-artist, where the satire of the film really hits its target.
Unfortunately the satire is a bit washed out by the fairy tale ending in which the protagonist must pay back for making a career on abusing the "Lord's" name, so that the town fools can have their "miracle".