Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- sardonic
- sincere
- lazy sunday
- character driven movie night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film amusing and well acted, especially praising Steve Martin’s layered central performance while noting that the narrative is underdeveloped and shifts into a more serious register.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jonas and his helpers systematically stage faith-healing spectacles while presenting them as divine intervention.
Jonas’s confident evangelist persona contrasts with his greed, desperation, and increasingly difficult confrontation with sincerity.
Sheriff Will Braverman investigates Jonas and attempts to expose the traveling revival as a fraud.
The traveling team operates a large-scale camp meeting that combines evangelism, theatrical tricks, and money-making.
Films like Leap of Faith, and why
Elmer Gantry
shared themes of religious hypocrisy, charismatic deception, and a morally conflicted central performer
The Music Man
shared small-town setting, skeptical community scrutiny, and a con artist whose façade begins to fracture
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
shared blend of comedy, romance, and a traveling fraud confronting genuine human need
Movie Details
- Director
- Richard Pearce
- Release Date
- 1992-12-18
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (237)
Cast
- Steve Martin
- Debra Winger
- Lolita Davidovich
- Liam Neeson
- Lukas Haas
- Meat Loaf
- Philip Seymour Hoffman
- M.C. Gainey
- LaChanze
- Delores Hall
Where to watch in United States
- 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 Leap of Faith about?
- A slick traveling faith healer sees his profitable con tested by a skeptical sheriff, a guarded waitress, and a small town hungry for something real.
- What is Leap of Faith like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Leap of Faith as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Leap of Faith violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Leap of Faith.
- What did critics think of Leap of Faith?
- Critics generally found the film amusing and well acted, especially praising Steve Martin’s layered central performance while noting that the narrative is underdeveloped and shifts into a more serious register.
- Which films are like Leap of Faith?
- Films with a similar feel include Elmer Gantry, The Music Man, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
- How long is Leap of Faith?
- Leap of Faith runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch Leap of Faith?
- In United States, Leap of Faith is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
