Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- witty
- earnest
- whimsical
- lazy sunday
- nostalgic 1990s movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film cloying and unfunny, arguing that its promising Eddie Murphy and Jeff Goldblum pairing was undermined by toothless satire and unearned sentimentality.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
G's saintly persona becomes a sensation when Ricky places him on a failing home-shopping network.
G arrives without a conventional backstory and reshapes the network through his unusual presence and behavior.
The film uses television ratings, sales culture, and religious performance while presenting G's influence as genuinely beneficial.
The home-shopping network setting foregrounds broadcast sets, sales presentations, ratings pressure, and manufactured celebrity.
Films like Holy Man, and why
Michael
shared spiritual comedy, celebrity culture satire, and sentimental transformation
Bruce Almighty
shared supernatural or saintly figure, workplace disruption, and feel-good comedy-drama
The Truman Show
shared television-industry setting, media satire, and earnest personal redemption
City of Angels
shared miraculous outsider, romantic comedy-drama tone, and contemporary American setting
Movie Details
- Director
- Stephen Herek
- Release Date
- 1998-10-08
- Runtime
- 114 min
- Rating
- 5.2 / 10 (472)
Cast
- Eddie Murphy
- Jeff Goldblum
- Kelly Preston
- Robert Loggia
- Jon Cryer
- Eric McCormack
- Sam Kitchin
- Robert Small
- Marc Macaulay
- Mary Stout
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, Starz Amazon Channel, Starz, Starz Apple TV channel, Starz Roku Premium Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Holy Man about?
- A failing home-shopping executive turns a mysterious saintly drifter into a television sensation, discovering that ratings-driven commerce can unexpectedly become a vehicle for faith.
- What is Holy Man like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Holy Man as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Holy Man violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Holy Man.
- What did critics think of Holy Man?
- Critics broadly found the film cloying and unfunny, arguing that its promising Eddie Murphy and Jeff Goldblum pairing was undermined by toothless satire and unearned sentimentality.
- Which films are like Holy Man?
- Films with a similar feel include Michael, Bruce Almighty, The Truman Show, and City of Angels.
- How long is Holy Man?
- Holy Man runs 114 minutes.
- Where can I watch Holy Man?
- In United States, Holy Man streams on Philo, Starz Amazon Channel, Starz, Starz Apple TV channel, Starz Roku Premium Channel.
