A Review of The Eyes of Tammy Faye by Nick Olszyk
Distribution Service: Theatrical
Year: 2021
MPAA Rating, PG-13
USCCB Rating, Not rated at the time of this review
Reel Rating, One Reel
As
the title suggests, the opening shot of the film focuses on the anxious pupils
of Tammy Faye in the mid-90s, well past her glory days. They are caked in
vibrant blue makeup, seared with dark eyeshadow, and feature prominent fake
eyelashes a meter long. “We can take those off,” a sympathetic intern says as
she is about to begin an interview. “Oh no,” Faye coos in her thick Minnesota accent.
“They don’t come off. I had them permanently tattooed.” As the film progresses,
it becomes clear that not only are her looks fake but her money, persona, and
faith life as well. This is a woman – an admittedly good-hearted woman – never
changes or wavers despite the obvious evidence against her chosen purpose. It’s
rare to see a film that has such distain for its subject, and it says quite a bit
more about the industry that created this monstrosity rather than the woman
behind the character.
The
film starts in the 1950s with Tammy’s enthusiasm for ministry. She is the
splitting image of a good girl who wears long clothes, praises Jesus vocally,
and always wear a smile. Yet beneath that façade is a more rebellious streak.
After a squeaky-clean picnic date with her future husband Jim Bakker, they
immediate go back to her dorm for some not-so-Christian heavy petting. It’s
incredibly weird and uncomfortable watching historical people be sexual, especially
when there’s not evidence the event occurred.
After
marriage, the Bakkers start a small touring ministry. Jim handles the adults
while Tammy uses puppets to entertain the children. They meet up with Pat Robertson
and enter mainstream televangelism. Soon their PTL network is the largest
Christian media company in the world with a daily audience of over 20 million. Of
course, too big to fail often does and by the late 80s the Bakkers become
shrouded in scandals that threaten not only their company but their marriage as
well.
Tammy
and Jim were one of the founders of the “prosperity gospel,” the philosophy
that God desires material blessings for us on Earth and will provide such
blessings based on our faith and faithfulness. Tied at the hip with this dogma
is “seed faith,” where God asks for your monetary donation as a sign of trust
only to multiply it many times in the future. Not only is this model unbiblical
but unsustainable as well. The Bakkers overspend, making them more and more
desperate. Soon Tammy is literally hawking penis pumps to middle aged
conservative viewers. This criticism of some veins of American Christianity is
fair but quite hypocritical coming from Hollywood, which amasses even bigger
fortunes for much less noble causes.
The
largest offensive of Tammy Faye comes from its portrayal of religious faith
(Christian or otherwise) as fundamentally no different than spiritual Ponzi
scheme of the Bakker empire. Tammy’s superfluous belief is constantly
contrasted with her mother’s more substantial home-grown faith. Yet her mother
is also demonized as someone who constantly talks about “hell fire” and often
belittles her daughter. The film suggests that there are only two viable
religious options: oppressive, legalistic conservative or flaky, greedy liberal.
The best option is Tammy’s father who jokingly states at his wife’s funeral
that he “now he longer has to go to church.”
There
seems to be precious little that the filmmakers admire about Tammy Faye. If so,
why make the film at all? The answer comes roughly three-quarters of the way
through the movie when Tammy breaks precedent and interviews a gay pastor with
AIDS. This infamous show solidified her reputation as an LGBT ally. Combined
with her flashy makeup and unconventional appearance, she would be appropriated
as a gay icon after her death. Indeed, the documentary
that provides the inspiration for the film was narrated by prominent drag queen
RuPaul. The message is clear. Tammy was a good person not because of her
Christian faith or the many legitimate
social welfare projects the Bakkers created but due to her compassion towards
people of alternative lifestyles who were often shunned by her peers.
As
a work of cinema, The Eyes of Tammy Faye was slow and predicable. The characters
never grew or changed. There were a few token references to spiritual maturity
but nothing substantial, just like the rest of Christendom. Perhaps this Jesus
fellow had some good ideas, but Christianity is a fraud. Maybe this is because
the filmmakers have never met a true Christian hero like St. Damien of Molokai
or Jim Elliot. Or maybe they have and aren’t interested.
This article first appeared in Catholic World Report on October 2nd, 2021.
Comments
Post a Comment