Reception
Gospel According to Vic received positive reviews upon its theatrical release in the United States. In her review in the Washington Post, Rita Kempley called it "a comedy of marvels great and small, proves a timely answer to a moviegoer's prayers." She compared this "sweet-natured and idiosyncratic work" to some of Bill Forsyth's best films. She lauded Tom Conti's performance with his "perfect timing and rumpled magnetism." Kempley concludes, "There's always room for doubt in this delightfully quirky screenplay, with its grumbling atheists and gosh-almighty faithful. Gormley needs no special effects to create his aura of heavenly intervention, relying instead on ambiguous incidents and secondhand testimony."
In his review in The New York Times, Walter Goodman singles out Conti's performance:
If there is an actor who can compete with the blessed Tom Conti for quirky charm, bring him on. As Vic, mischief glitters in his soulful eyes; it sneaks through the cracks in his voice and the gaps in his reactions. Even in action, he seems bemused at the oddness of what he is about. Mr. Conti makes Vic a joy to be around, whether he is rousing his class to outbursts of educational hysteria or admiring the way Helen Mirren, the new teacher, fills out a skirt.Goodman concludes, "Gospel According to Vic may not be a miracle, but it's definitely a blessing."
In their review in Spirituality & Practice, Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat wrote:
Writer/director Charles Gormley, a long-time associate of acclaimed filmmaker Bill Forsyth, demonstrates an uncanny appreciation for the idiosyncrasies of his characters. He draws out top-drawer performances from Tom Conti and from Helen Mirren ... Gospel According to Vic ends enchantingly with two moments of grace—one involving the love embrace of Vic and Ruth and one involving a boy who has a surprise encounter with the best-known member of the Royal Family.Read more about this topic: Gospel According To Vic
Famous quotes containing the word reception:
“But in the reception of metaphysical formula, all depends, as regards their actual and ulterior result, on the pre-existent qualities of that soil of human nature into which they fall—the company they find already present there, on their admission into the house of thought.”
—Walter Pater (1839–1894)
“Aesthetic emotion puts man in a state favorable to the reception of erotic emotion.... Art is the accomplice of love. Take love away and there is no longer art.”
—Rémy De Gourmont (1858–1915)
“Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own; which is the chief reason for that kind of reception it meets in the world, and that so very few are offended with it.”
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745)