In the 1980s, televangelist Jim Bakker [Kevin Spacey] and his wife Tammy [Bernadette Peters] embark on a bold expansion of their PTL Club ministry by launching a village-style resort with an amusement park, christened Heritage USA. What begins as a grand vision to broaden their reach soon collides with intense scrutiny as a wave of investigations closes in on the couple. The probe shines a harsh light on alleged misconduct, including Jim’s affair with Jessica Hahn, a scandal tied to the church secretary, which becomes a focal point of national headlines. Annie Wood appears in the role behind the scandal, adding a stark layer of real-life notoriety to the story.
As authorities probe, concerns extend beyond personal indiscretion to allegations of fraud, with accusations that donated funds were diverted to sustain a luxurious lifestyle and fuel the Heritage USA project. The film carefully tracks the mounting pressure and the aura of invincibility that the couple once enjoyed beginning to crack under the weight of the inquiries. The public’s attention amplifies the sense that everything about the PTL ministry and Heritage USA is under examination, with consequences that reverberate far beyond their own fortunes.
The investigations culminate in a nationally publicized scandal in March 1987, a watershed moment that brings the Bakkers' leadership to a dramatic halt. The once-dominant PTL ministry and its flagship project, Heritage USA, are ultimately taken over by Rev. Jerry Falwell [Richard Paul], signaling a hard pivot in the movement’s public face. Jim Bakker’s legal demise—fraud and conspiracy charges—becomes part of the broader narrative of what happened, though the film does not depict the criminal sentencing itself.
Beyond the headlines, the film dives into intimate subplots that color the central arc. The relationship between Jim and Tammy is shown as a constant tug-of-war, marked by quarrels and reconciliations that reveal the strain of living under public scrutiny. A parallel thread follows Tammy’s personal struggle with drug use, which leads to rehabilitation at the Betty Ford Center, underscoring the human costs of the media storm that surrounds them.
Musically, the portrayal of Tammy’s character is enriched by Bernadette Peters’s performances, as she delivers a quartet of gospel numbers that lift the emotional arc of the film. The songs include Mercy Rewrote My Life, Amazing Grace, God Rides on the Wings of Love, and His Eye Is on the Sparrow, each delivered with reverent energy and a sense of spiritual resilience. The musical direction of the film is shaped by Peter Matz’s arrangements, weaving these performances into the broader narrative of aspiration, scandal, and redemption.
Overall, the film presents a immersive, careful re-creation of a seismic moment in televised religion, balancing the spectacle of a public downfall with the personal vulnerabilities that accompanied it. It remains anchored in the real-world consequences of ambition, faith, and fame, offering a long-form, detailed look at how a beloved ministry's ascent was followed by a rapid and controversial fall, while also illustrating the enduring human costs behind headlines.
