Touch (1997)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Paul Schrader

Writers (WGA):

Elmore Leonard (novel)
Paul Schrader (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 February 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A Wicked Comedy

Plot:

When Juvenal, a presumed miracle worker, appears on the scene Bill Hill attempts to exploit him but...

Plot Keywords:

Miracle | Miracle Worker | Evangelist | Male Rear Nudity | Purity

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

LL Cool J	...	Himself
Gina Gershon	...	Debra Lusanne
Conchata Ferrell	...	Virginia Worrel
John Doe	...	Elwin Worrel
Christopher Walken	...	Bill Hill
Skeet Ulrich	...	Juvenal aka Charlie Lawson
María Celedonio	...	Alisha
Chris Hogan	...	Scruffy Staff Worker
Anthony Zerbe	...	Father Donahue
Bridget Fonda	...	Lynn Marie Faulkner
William Newman	...	Court Clerk
Tom Arnold	...	August Murray
Breckin Meyer	...	Greg Czarnicki
Matt O'Toole	...	Bailiff
Richard Fancy	...	Judge

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality, language and a scene of violence.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Germany:12 | Australia:MA | Finland:S | Netherlands:AL (video premiere) | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Fullerton, California, USA

Company:

Initial Productions

Quotes:

Juvenal aka Charlie Lawson: My real name's Charlie Lawson.
Lynn Marie Faulkner: Charlie? Come on.
Juvenal aka Charlie Lawson: There was a Saint Charles.
Lynn Marie Faulkner: yeah? What did he do?
Juvenal aka Charlie Lawson: I don't know, probably got martyred.
Lynn Marie Faulkner: [laughs] Well, how on earth did you get 'Juvenal'?
Juvenal aka Charlie Lawson: well, when you go into the order, you pick three names. I liked Raphael, or Anthony. They showed me a list, said 'pick something else' I said "um, I guess Juvenal"

Movie Connections:

References "The Oprah Winfrey Show" (1986)

Soundtrack:

I Died In My Teens

A Refreshing Look at God, Faith, Love and Media

Don't be fooled by the subject matter - an ex-monk, who can heal the sick by touching them, but suffers stigmata each time and gets caught up in a whirl of religious fanatics, big-business evangelists and ratings-hungry media - this is a sweet and touching romantic comedy!

Leave it to Paul Schrader to find a way to do some heavy soul-searching without getting heavy-handed, yet always remaining quirky as we know him from his dramas. A wonderful supporting cast (Christopher Walken, Tom Arnold, Janeane Garofalo, Lolita Davidovich and Gina Gershon) adds color and texture to the story without detracting from the quiet chemistry going on between Skeet Ulrich and Bridget Fonda. When Ulrich says without grandeur that he believes in God and miracles, you don't even think twice about it - you believe every word he says at face value. A rare performance.