The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Sympathetic redemption tale has drug use, sexual situations.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Eyes of Tammy Faye is a sympathetic biopic about Tammy Faye Bakker (Jessica Chastain), the infamous PTL televangelist who built and lost a Christian empire in the 1970s and '80s. Bible scripture flows faster than holy water here, and Tammy Faye frequently and enthusiastically expresses her deep love of God. But this isn't an evangelical vehicle: It's a redemption tale, and, after watching, it's hard not to agree that she deserves forgiveness. She is depicted as unique (at least, in her world) for taking a nonjudgmental approach to Christianity, which made her an unexpected gay rights advocate during the AIDS crisis. Director Michael Showalter allows her best actions to speak louder than her worst -- i.e., helping bilk followers out of millions of dollars that went to extravagant projects and her personal life of luxury. Her husband Jim (Andrew Garfield) is subjected to tougher scrutiny but is still portrayed with a great degree of sympathy, including the fact that his sex scandal is played off with a lightness (it's not made clear that it was a rape allegation in real life). While none of that happens on camera, the Bakkers' sex life does, including scenes with aggressive fondling. A supporting character's implied sexual orientation is used against him. Tammy's addiction to prescription drugs is covered, although younger viewers might not make the connection that her pill popping had a substantial negative consequence.
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What's the Story?
Adapted from the same-named 2000 documentary, THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE examines how Jim (Andrew Garfield) and Tammy Faye Bakker (Jessica Chastain) met, married, and built the PTL Christian entertainment empire together in the 1970s and '80s. A sunny-dispositioned rebel in a patriarchal environment, Tammy Faye proves talented at using love and a smile to defy the more powerful authority leaders in the Christian community. But as the couple fall into temptation, the scandals pile up, until they're ousted from the network they founded.
Is It Any Good?
God loves a comeback story, and, as it turns out, we humans do, too -- making director Michael Showalter's redemption biopic about a disgraced televangelist a pleaser both in heaven and on earth. Chastain nails Tammy Faye's breathy voice and manner of speaking, and, as time wears on, the makeup team goes into overdrive until the star truly looks identical to the cartoonish Christian pariah. Chastain is a marvel, so successfully inhabiting her character that it's almost impossible not to be persuaded of Tammy Faye's inherent goodness and good intentions, even if she strayed off the path just a little. Except that it wasn't just a little, it was a lot, which makes the film's tendency toward forgiveness a bit infuriating. Through Tammy Faye's love and confidence in her husband -- and, make no mistake, this is her story told through her eyes -- Jim unfairly earns admission into the "mistakes were made" category rather than being held truly accountable (and she often comes off as being willfully ignorant of what was going on).
Yes, people are complex, and certainly the Bakkers did a lot of good, too (which, to be fair, the film doesn't dive too much into, either), but it's frustrating that there's just not enough time in The Eyes of Tammy Faye to follow so many intriguing rabbits into their individual holes. The film exposes the origin of some Christians' shift from the biblical declaration that money is the root of all evil to the now-popular idea that God wants his believers to live in "abundance." The beginnings of the relationship between evangelical Christians and the Republican party are also sprinkled in, but not enough to satiate the curious. There's not even enough attention given to Tammy Faye's final triumphant chapter: her ascendance as a gay icon. And while the opening scene shows Tammy Faye telling a makeup artist that false eyelashes are a part of her identity, the film doesn't appear to circle back and explain why she leaned into her garish appearance. But if you watch carefully, it does. That's for you to figure out. Suffice it to say that her actions speak as cheerfully as her words, and it turns out that Tammy Faye was a rebel with a cause.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about redemption and why forgiveness is important. Do you think Tammy Faye deserves our forgiveness? What about Jim?
What methods did Tammy Faye use to achieve success as a woman in a conservative, patriarchal environment? Do you consider her courageous? Do you think she and Jim demonstrated teamwork, or were they pursuing a shared goal on individual paths?
How does Tammy Faye embody the saying, "What would you do if you knew you could not fail?" If you believe you have a calling to do something, how does that embolden you -- and how can you adapt and channel that notion into self-confidence?
Do you consider Tammy Faye a role model? Why, or why not? How does she demonstrate resilience? How does the film's title tell viewers that what we're seeing is her perception of events? How might someone else's perspective be different?
Do you think of The Eyes of Tammy Faye as a faith-based film? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters: September 17, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: November 2, 2021
- Cast: Jessica Chastain, Andrew Garfield, Cherry Jones
- Director: Michael Showalter
- Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre: Drama
- Character Strengths: Compassion, Gratitude, Humility
- Run time: 126 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: sexual content and drug abuse
- Award: Academy Award
- Last updated: October 13, 2022
For kids who love biopics and strong women
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