Holy Man (1998) User Reviews

Better than it gets credit for...

[Goosfrabah · 6/10 · 16 December 2005]

Just saw this movie again for the first time since 1998, and I gotta admit, it's a lot better than I remembered it. I think back then people just had way too high expectations for it; that and the fact that it wasn't an "all Eddie Murphy" film--as the reviewer before me put it-- led to its limited success.

Jeff Goldblum can get on my nerves sometimes, but the stark contrast between the personality of his and Murphy's characters in this movie makes for some pretty funny scenes. As for Eddie, his performance as G is one of the best I've ever seen him do: you really do Believe he is a "Holy Man."

Where's the Love?

[view_and_review · 6/10 · 2 December 2020]

Maybe I'm a little off kilter, but I liked "Holy Man." It is an oft-told tale of shunning materialism for deeper more fulfilling things such as love, sharing, and nature.

Eddie Murphy plays G, a spiritual man in simple garb who was performing a pedal pilgrimage through America when he happened upon Ricky (Jeff Goldblum) and Kate (Kelly Preston). Ricky and Kate are two execs for the struggling Good Buy Shopping Network (a fictitious QVC). When Ricky gives G shelter for a spell he decides to use G on the GBSN to help sales. The ploy works fabulously, but is it the right thing to do?

"Holy Man" isn't going to have you falling over with laughter as you'd expect with Eddie Murphy. In fact, I would normally expect non-stop laughs with Murphy and Goldblum together, but this is not that kind of movie. It is more of a sensitive piece aimed at touching people's hearts. I can see by the ratings that it didn't quite do that. I didn't find it particularly moving myself, but I found it enjoyable for being simple and uncomplicated.

Lazy, but spiritual comedy/drama with Eddie Murphy, Jeff Goldblum and Kelly Preston

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 13 September 2018]

A mysterious saintly man named G (Eddie Murphy) befriends the director of a failing shopping network (Jeff Goldblum) & his colleague (Kelly Preston) in Miami. He becomes a curious sensation on the network.

"Holy Man" (1998) combines elements of "Michael" (1996) and "City of Angels" (1998) to forge its own hybrid and is the obvious precursor to "Bruce Almighty" (2003). It failed at the box office mainly because people thought it was going to be a typical Eddie Murphy vehicle, but it's not. Sure, there's some comedy, but it's decidedly low-key with maybe 2-3 laugh-out-loud parts. It's more of an amusing drama crossed with spiritual docudrama and the unique tone turned people off.

While it's the least of those three other films, it possesses its own appeal once you catch a grip. The movie seems overlong though and needed tightened up with a rewrite. Still, it has its points of interest. Murphy, for instance, is thoroughly convincing in the title role and his character is certainly intriguing (I think it's obvious who he really is), not to mention the flick conveys several valuable insights.

The film runs 1 hour, 54 minutes and was shot in Miami, Florida.

GRADE: C+/B-

Just not funny

[msatlas · 3/10 · 28 July 2005]

So yeah, this movie is supposedly a comedy. It takes a completely unrealistic premise to start with, goes for a couple laughs early on--hey let's hook Morgan Fairchild up to a car battery and make her face bug out with really bad CGI!--then turns into a stupid sappy romance movie where two people are brought together by some random common element (in this case, Eddie Murphy's character). It's like the movie forgot it was supposed to be a comedy and then we have these two people who are supposed to like each other, because the script said so. Eddie Murphy's character is brought into the picture to provide comic relief, but after that first montage of him messing up the sets, all he does is put on the faux guru act. He smiles, and forgives assorted other characters assorted other faults, and generally behaves benevolently. Kelly Preston and Jeff Goldblum fall for each other because they work in the same office. Predictably, one of them does something to lose the other one, and I wonder what happens after then? The jokes stopped coming long ago, so why should we care about these two characters that have no reason to like each other? What's the point?

Pass on this one

[Hemmy · 3/10 · 19 August 1999]

You must really like Jeff Goldblum to sit through this film. I don't. Eddie Murphy underplays his role and is excellent as usual. Overall there was too much Jeff Goldblum and too little Eddie Murphy and Kelly Preston.

Home Shopping version of Network

[jj_gitte · 1/10 · 12 October 1998]

Network: "I want you to get up, I want you to go to the window and yell, I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"

A similar scene takes place in Holy Man where Eddie Murphy asks his viewers to go outside and kiss the grass. Also like Network the choice between the stars health and the future of the Network depend on a executives morals. And many other Network similarities are obvious.

P.S. The movie is not even funny, even though its advertised as a comedy.

A Drama, Not a Comedy, about The Truthfulness in The Contemporary Materialistic World !

[elshikh4 · 7/10 · 27 January 2010]

Now here's a movie where the problem is in the wrong way that people look at it, and receive it.

It's about the condition of truthfulness in our contemporary materialistic world, showing that the truthful man isn't the one who doesn't lie at all, because that's hard to happen, but he's the one who lies less than the others.

I liked selecting the field of advertisement to make the whole movie in it. This world of unceasing commercials was an epitome of the world that we live of shiny seductive fibs, where everything is a commodity that has to be sold anyway, anyhow, with or without credibility; which can be sold also accompanied by any bad commodity. This environment created the perfect irony with the main issue.

But I liked more and more the confidential talk between the lead / the manager of the advertising channel and his god in the bathroom. It became the only place where he can be alone with his conscience, away from all the people's dirt; or the bigger bathroom; which can't have a way to empty all of its uncountable lies. It's one sharp, so sarcastic, paradox that introduces the toilet as less filthy than that huge liar world around. So when toilets become the only holy place in our world, then what kind of "filthy" world we live indeed?! This summarizes the serious character of this movie which was wrongly understood as yet another comedy for (Eddie Murphy) while it's wholly not.

It's a movie that asks what's holy nowadays. And according to its nice story, there is surely no 100 % holy men at all. Only holy thoughts. The greatest of them all is being truthful. That's holy enough.. just if you can do it.

One of the year's WORST

[Brenman33 · 1/10 · 10 October 1998]

Good god what a bad movie! What were Stephen Herek (Director of Mr. Holland's Opus), Eddie Murphy, Jeff Goldblum, and Kelly Preston thinking?!?!?! This movie is completely unfunny, the situations are ridiculous, and I can find no way to give it any compliment. I survived the endurance test of watching the entire movie, which is the only good I can get out of it. Do NOT see this movie if you are an Eddie Murphy fan. I'm not even going to go into the specifics as to why this movie was so bad, because it's not worth my time typing them.

Who is this mysterious "G"? Is he God? Is he a Gandhi type of person?

[PredragReviews · 7/10 · 29 June 2016]

There's no way to put into words how it feels to come from a film having taking something special away. I've come to the conclusion that this is one of those movies most people just don't get. This is indeed the age of crudity, where shock value is held in higher regard than genuinely good storytelling and uplifting characters. This film succeeds on all fronts by offering itself not just as a hilarious comedy(which it certainly is), but also as a means to convey a message that's too often ignored and scoffed at. Let's face it, most people today are master cynics, unwilling to accept any positivity but always ready to rebuke something. It seems to me, that's why this film was not a commercial success.

Eddie Murphy has created a phenomenal character in G and plays him with enough love and abandon I found myself smiling all the way through. Forget wondering exactly who G is. If you're really spending time on that, you've failed to see the point of the story. Besides, some things are best left to the imagination. Ambiguity doesn't have to be a scary concept. The love story between Goldblum and Preston isn't perfect, but their performances-particularly Goldblum's are worth seeing. I actually loved this movie, and recommend it to everybody, although you shouldn't expect an average comedy, but a deep thought-provoking movie instead.

Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

This one never quite gets off the ground

[ten-thousand-marbles · 4/10 · 26 November 2021]

Murphy has said himself that this is a bad movie. I won't argue. The plot is flimsy and most of what happens throughout just isn't plausible. The script and actors tend to ramble. I found myself genuinely bored. I do have to admit that the celebrity cameos were fun and honestly the highlight of the film. The only other solid positive I can point out is that Eddie and Jeff have charisma and great screen presence. They just didn't have much to work with. Overall, it's a pass.

Holy Man!

[XcrossbonesX_black · 8/10 · 23 June 2006]

I saw this great movie yesterday evening. My mom + I hired it out, along with other DVDs and I'm so glad I chose this one! I believe this movie has a few messages: they are meaningful + things to consider and really think about. First off, Kate is a very kind and compassionate character. As the viewer of the movie, we are positioned to like her. This I totally agree with because I think everyone should be like Kate - she has lovely qualities. When she stands up for her rights as a human and says: "I'm not going to sell my soul" I really like that. That's how everybody should think. Why should individuals give in to money (and business) and simultaneously sell their soul, their integrity, their self as a whole? Well, they should not. But it happens so it's ultimately up to the individual to make their own choices, right or wrong. Kate is empathetic towards G and she feels that G should not be made to do the shows purely to save someone else's ass. She also feels that the business is just using him as a way for their success to be fruitful again. Although, G doesn't mind doing the shows because he says he wants to do them for Ricky. So Kate walks away from the whole business and I think it's great that she does this cos she shows us what it's like to have integrity. But this movie teaches one that when you're in trouble and you pray for help, God is always there to help you - G is in trouble at work so he prays sincerely and G turns up! There are other beautiful messages too. You can work them out. In the end, Ricky listens to Kate's benevolent example and lets G go. Kate falls in love with Ricky once again and here we have a wonderful happy ending. I just love movies with happy endings. I recommend this movie to anyone that believes in integrity.

Lightweight romcom with pseudo-philosophical fluffy bits

[thehumanduvet · 7/10 · 20 February 2001]

Sentimentalism rules, but doesn't ruin, this gentle romcom dealing with Goldblum's workaholic TV producer, his pretty new coworker and Eddie Murphy's mysterious guru type G, who comes into their lives at random and causes all manner of upset. A reasonably interesting storyline and quite a few funny moments and ideas raise this from the pit of feelgood slush to the dizzy heights of the quite passable romantic comedy. Goldblum is as reliable as ever and Murphy's return to form has clearly begun, with a good, restrained performance as the wacky nomadic philosopher-yogi. Not much can be said for the other characters, remaining as they usually do in this genre pretty lifeless backdrop for the main stars, though anyone who remembers Pretty in Pink with fondness will be happy to see Jon Cryer still working, putting in a quiet performance as Goldblum's assistant. Fans of the stars should like it, and the TV shopping channel angle is an interesting, original setting for a movie, providing numerous opportunities for easy laughs. Not bad at all.

Completely Worthless.

[Apowers · 1/10 · 11 April 1999]

A bald Eddie Murphy has to be funny, right? WRONG! Holy Man presents us with the worst scripted, worst edited movie in decades. Eddie Murphy is not the star of the movie, and he plays second fiddle to a boring Jeff Goldblum. It seems Home Shopping Network and a evangelist prophet could set up numerous funny situations. Too bad this movie didn't find one. If you fail to rent one movie this year, make it Holy Man.

Rating: 0.1 out of 10. Quite possibly the worst film of all time.

What a smile, Eddie is the man..

[Scooter-34 · 26 November 1998]

This movie had everything in it. From laughter, to deep thoughts. I thought it was an excellent movie and I absolutely loved that story with the starfish on the beach on a stormy day. It kinda makes you look at life a little different..

9* out of 10... Extremely funny movie, go see it..

1.5 stars

[matt caccamo · 4/10 · 11 January 2001]

Pointless story of a home shopping network general manager (Goldblum) and his encounter with title character "G," (Murphy). Goldblum uses "G" to help raise sales at the station, and "G" miraculously changes Goldblum from a self-centered man to a softie ready to fall in love with his co-worker (Preston). We are meant to assume Murphy's character is somehow divine, but his true identity is never revealed. Film focuses entirely too much on Goldblum and ignores the more likable, and funny, Murphy character.

Holy Man Wholly Mediocre

[paul-nemecek · 5/10 · 3 July 2018]

What do you get when you combine the writer of Dead Poet's Society (Tom Schulman) with the director of Mr. Holland's Opus (Stephen Herek)? Before you answer the question, I should tell you that Schulman also wrote Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Herek's directing credits include The Mighty Ducks and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. What we get in the film Holy Man is much closer to being Ricky and G's mediocre adventure than anybody's opus.

Ricky Hayman (Jeff Goldblum) is the producer for a home shopping network. Kate Newell (Kelly Preston) is a marketing consultant brought in to help fix the flat sales that are plaguing the network. As they are getting to know each other, they (almost literally) run into a holy man named G (Eddie Murphy). When G stumbles into the middle of a live sales pitch for laundry detergent, he criticizes the materialism of contemporary society and almost ruins the show. When the producer and the consultant discover that sales actually went up with this infusion of new age spirituality, a star is born.

The real problem with the story is confusion over the central character and confusion over the plot. The advertising and title of the film would suggest that Eddie Murphy is the star since G is the main character. Murphy's role is really a supporting role, and the central plot ends up being the ethical transformation of the amoral producer Ricky Hayman. It's actually not a bad story, and the film is engaging at points, but by choosing to focus attention on the wrong story line, the film ends up being little more than an adequate clichÈ.

If the story had focused more on the commodification of religion (or for that matter the religification of commodities) this could have been an interesting story. Any extraterrestrial visiting this planet and observing our behaviors would have to conclude that shopping is a religious ritual, the NY stock exchange our main temple, and Christmas the holiday when we worship through consumption and excess. The film teases in this direction, but this part of the story remains an underdeveloped subplot. This could have been an interesting story. Unfortunately, when all is said and done, what we are left with is another formula film filled with merely adequate performances and trite clichÈs.

Eddie, man, what were you thinking???

[chrisbrown6453 · 4/10 · 15 May 2002]

Well first of all, this movie was billed as Eddie Murphey movie, but it's not. Holy Man actually stars Jeff Goldblum, with Murphy in a supporting role. So don't go in thinking it's an Eddie Murphy comedy, because it's not, for two reasons. It's not an Eddie Murphy film, and it's not all that funny. Goldblum stars as Ricky Hayman, a producer at the Good Buy Shopping Network. Ratings are down, and the boss tells him to either pick them up, or he's out. So Ricky gets teamed with Kate Newell (Kelly Preston) and together they're going to try and boost the ratings. Out of nowhere comes their savior, G (Eddie Murphy). He's this guru-looking figure in flowing robes who seems to have this connection with people. So Ricky gets G to go on the Shopping Network, ratings soar, but as always there's a problem. G is on a spiritual journey. The only reason he's on the Shopping Network is because doctors told him he needed to stay out of the sun for a while. But the ratings are so good, Ricky lies to G to get him to stay, even when G is better. Moral dilemma time. And I think you can guess how it resolves itself. So let's get to the movie. First, like I said, this isn't an Eddie Murphy comedy. It's a movie about Jeff Goldblum trying to come to grips with his spiritual side with the help of G. Ricky has money problems, women problems, job problems, all sorts of problems that he can't fix because he isn't centered enough. G comes along to help him find himself. From reading those last couple of sentences, do you think it sounds like a comedy? The only thing remotely funny about the movie, were the mock-infomercials they had. Ones for laundry balls, or cooking while driving, or the chainsaw. Those send-ups of home shopping were well done and funny, but the rest of the movie wasn't. It tried to be at times, but the movie got bogged down in it's quest to try and incorporate a love story and a spiritual story. I'm not against spiritual stories (well maybe), or love stories for that matter, but don't package them in a movie and call it a comedy, because it doesn't work. Besides, most `spiritual' movies belong in the FANTASY genre. I just read that the director and producer initially approached Murphy to play Ricky instead of G, but Eddie wanted to play G. I think the movie had the potential to be better if he had played Ricky, because it would have allowed them to use Eddie's comedic talents a little better. Goldblum has always been a little stiff to me, and sadly he falls into that category that many actors and actresses fall into; he will always be remembered for one roll, and that roll happens to be Ian Malcom from Jurassic Park, and not the kind of guy you would think could hold a comedy together. So overall I wouldn't bother seeing Holy Man. It's a movie that tries to make you laugh, but eventually leaves you unfulfilled.

About time too....a good Eddie Murphy film!

[CharltonBoy · 7/10 · 17 February 2001]

It is a long long time since we have seen an Eddie Murphy film that you can say was good, the last ones being 48 Hours and Trading Places which must be 15 years ago now. Let me start by saying i'm not sure why this film is called Holy Man because at no point does he say he is religous or he spreading the word, what he does say is he is on a spititual journey , which is different in my opinion. while on his journey he meets two producers of a flagging tv shopping channel who by accident , realise that the holy man could be the answer to their prayers and revive the TV channels fortunes. I would not say this film is a rib tickler but i dont think it sets out to be, it is more of a feel good film that is acted out very well and is highly watchable.Far better than i expected. 7 out of 10 ( nearly an 8 ).

A renter (get it in video..)

[leo-37 · 3/10 · 15 October 1998]

Somewhat cute - Eddie is growing up.. Compared to Eddie in his "prime" the language is actually acceptable. The tag-line summarizes the movie quite adequately. If you have nothing else left to see, go see it: it is reasonably good lightweight entertainment. Otherwise wait for it in video at your neighbourhood rental outlet.

A feel good movie

[salvatore_luciana · 7/10 · 25 September 2001]

This is a really good feel good movie, nothing much happens, it all works out ok in the end, the male lead is attractive, the female lead gorgeous AND cute and smart... its just an "easy listening" movie out of the top draw. Everyone plays their part well, and the twist in the tail - although it isnt exactly a shock - is handled really really well and subtley. If you want a really meaningful film or something really out there, this isnt it. If you want to cuddle up with your honey and watch 90 mins of well acted, slick, intelligent and unchallenged TV, with a quiet and understated message of hope and all round niceness, this is your movie.

There ARE criticisms one could make, for a start, first of all that like many movies about movies or TV (see EDTV, Truman Show etc etc) it vastly overplays the importance and direct effect of TV on ordinary people, but to dwell on such things is to ignore this movies appeal. It is not trying to be a classic, or a work of genius, just a good movie with a message of hope and an ideal of the universe that - however small it appears to be - is startling in its own way.

Unholy waste of time...

[Flints · 3/10 · 20 May 1999]

Edie Murphy decides to go nice and it is mildly amusing for the first three or four minutes. Homeless, friendless "G" hooks up with a tv shopping network producer played by Jeff Goldbaum and suddenly sales skyrocket. Predictable script but no middle; only a beginning and an end. SO WHAT?? Goldbaum has all the good lines and plays them to the hilt. In fact, Murphy's "G" is truly only a supporting role. However, it is still a waste of time.

Brilliant, if you're up for it

[fung0 · 9/10 · 2 February 2007]

This is one of those "why don't they make 'em like that any more" movies. If it starred, say, Jimmie Stewart and Jean Arthur, everyone would look upon it fondly, as a treasured masterpiece. But no, it's the often-abrasive Eddie Murphy, and the frequently hard-to-take Jeff Goldblum. If you can handle the casting, though, this is a marvelous movie, transcending its formula to deliver moments of hilarity as well as a thoughtful message.

Jeff Goldblum is, to me, impeccably cast as an ambitious but unsuccessful salesman. The explanation, later in the movie, of how he traveled with his father on sales trips, sets the character up beautifully. We come to understand that his lack of success really stems from a lack of commitment to the no-holds-barred ethos of the salesman. And, of course, that's a good thing.

Murphy plays "G", who may or may not be divine, but certainly is other-worldly. He's the opposite of Goldblum's character: totally centered, with no attachment to anything, least of all the crass commercialism of the shopping network where Goldblum works. Naturally, he disrupts Goldblum's life, but the kicker comes when Goldblum desperately puts G on the air, and finds that sincerity sells better than salesmanship.

A number of reviewers have complained that there's not enough of Murphy. Maybe so, if you're expecting a full-on Eddie Murphy vehicle. But Holy Man is more than just an "Eddie Murphy" movie, and G the sort of showcase role that no actor could resist. It really lets Murphy shine, displaying more subtlety than usual... yet spinning nicely off his usual sarcastic persona.

The plot, to be sure, is formulaic. You can see the twists coming a mile away. So what? This type of cinema is as ritualistic as Greek tragedy, or Kabuki theater. The point isn't in where it's going, but in how it gets there. And get there it does, making its little Zen point about materialism versus spirituality in a unique and compelling way.

And, at times, a hilariously funny way. The 'magic trick' G performs with a Rolex watch is side-splitting. But it's easily topped by the gut-wrenchingly funny antics of G as he roams from one set to another in the TV studio. What he does to Morgan Fairchild is one of the great moments of sadistic slapstick. (I admire her for appearing in this unflattering scene; she must have an amazing sense of humor.)

I'll admit that the two stars will limit this film's appeal. But even if you're not a fan of Murphy or Goldblum, it's worth taking a chance. Personally, I tend to find Goldblum overpowering; I was definitely rooting for the Tyranosaurus to catch up with his asinine "chaotician" in Jurassic Park (1 and 2). But in some roles he just works, and this is one of them. (Another is "Beyond Suspicion," a.k.a. "Auggie Rose.")

This is not only a good movie, it's one that I actually pull down off the shelf and watch, far more frequently than many of the better-known 'classics.' I've seen it at least four times, and intend to see it many more.

Heart warming comedy

[comps-784-38265 · 7/10 · 19 October 2021]

This is a 'sunday matinee' family comedy.

I found it very watchable and Goldblum and Murphy really 'click' in a story of the 'rat race' versus quality of life.

Also in a sea of dross from hollywood this is something a bit different.

Well worth a watch. 7.5/10.

One of the worst movies ever.

[HwyXingFrog · 1/10 · 16 October 2007]

I will have to say that Jeff Goldblum should not be the main star in anything comedic. OK, maybe the show wasn't trying to be 100% comedy, but where it wasn't funny, it just tried too hard to make you think. But when Jeff tries too hard, he gets annoying. He has one monologue during the movie that just put me to sleep.

I will have to say that if they had a different actor than Jeff working with Eddie, it would have been a bit better. But Eddie's part wasn't very well done either. Yes there were some funny parts, but all two of them were shown in the preview, and were unfunny by the time you saw them in the movie

It just felt like a cheap movie that wasn't put together very well.