The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021)

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

TSG Entertainment/Freckle Films/MWM Studios/Semi-Formal Productions

Searchlight Pictures

Release date: 9/17/2021

Searchlight Pictures’ The Eyes of Tammy Faye Arrives on Digital November 2, 2021 and on Blu-ray™ and DVD November 16, 2021

My Rating: 7/10

#whatonwhatsgood Fan Club Rating: 63%

Directed by

Michael Showalter

Screenplay by

Abe Sylvia

Based on

The Eyes of Tammy Faye by Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato

Produced by

Jessica Chastain, Kelly Carmichael, Rachel Shane, Gigi Pritzker

Starring

Jessica Chastain as Tammy Faye Bakker

Chandler Head as Young Tammy Faye

Andrew Garfield as Jim Bakker

Cherry Jones as Rachel LaValley

Vincent D'Onofrio as Jerry Falwell

Fredric Lehne as Fred Grover

Louis Cancelmi as Richard Fletcher

Sam Jaeger as Roe Messner

Gabriel Olds as Pat Robertson

Mark Wystrach as Gary S. Paxton

Jay Huguley as Jimmy Swaggart

Randy Havens as Steve Pieters

Jess Weixler as Makeup Artist (voice)

Cinematography

Mike Gioulakis

Edited by

Mary Jo Markey

Music by

Theodore Shapiro

Social Media

Twitter: @EyesofTammyFaye

Facebook: @EyesofTammyFaye

Instagram: @EyesofTammyFaye

#TheEyesofTammyFaye

Jessica Chastain discusses her character Tammy Faye Bakker

"I spent years looking at footage of her and never once saw mascara running down her face.   Tammy Faye was nothing like the caricature the media fed off of. She was the ordained minister Jim wasn't. She preached acceptance and compassion and meant it, and that’s what we wanted people to see in this film. When everyone turned their backs on people with HIV and AIDS, she invited a high profile gay pastor who had AIDS to be on her show. She also hosted Praise The Lord network shows all day long, wrote four books and released twenty-four albums. She never got paid for any of it, she gave her money back to the church." 

“Homosexuality has often been demonized by the Christian community. At a time when people shrank from HIV and AIDS, Tammy was having none of it. She didn’t believe in labeling people. She understood the power of the camera to look into the eyes of people far and wide and share the truth.”

 

“She was never embarrassed. People were drawn to her because she was unique. She used her platform to advocate for a celebration of our differences, and knowing that made it easier for me to perform.” 

“Tammy is so rooted into Jessica’s heart, and that’s an amazing place to come from. You follow her into the fray because of that; because she’s so passionate and devoted.”

British-American actor Andrew Garfield discusses his character Jim Bakker 

"Jim’s actually a very complicated person.  I found it easy to fall in love with him.  What he and Tammy did was really radical. They created a wild alternative to other Christian broadcasting of the time. They had a longing to heal people. Instead of waiting for joy in heaven, they advocated for happiness in the here and now. His downfall was that he lost sight of all of that, and I found his fallibility fascinating."

Actress Cherry Jones discusses her character Rachel (Tammy Faye’s mother)

"Rachel gave so much to her church and got nothing in return.  Her home life was unstable as well. She was stressed physically and spiritually. Throughout her life, she feared for Tammy's soul, and was terrified Tammy wouldn't have an everlasting life. I'm finding ways to soften her a bit. She loved her daughter, but her life was harsh."

Vincent D'Onofrio discusses his character Jerry Falwell

"Falwell is sort of like a Judas character. He befriended the Bakkers, gained their trust and then claimed he barely knew them. Their rise, his betrayal, and their fall, is all very Shakespearean."