Come Sunday (film)

Come Sunday is a 2018 American drama film directed by Joshua Marston and written by Marcus Hinchey, based on "Heretics", a 2005 episode of the radio show This American Life. It stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Carlton Pearson, an evangelist minister who was ostracized by his church and excommunicated for preaching that there is no Hell. Jason Segel, Condola Rashad, Lakeith Stanfield, Stacey Sargeant, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Danny Glover, and Martin Sheen also star.

The film had its world premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, and was released in the United States on April 13, 2018, by Netflix.

Plot
Evangelist Carlton Pearson is ostracized by his church and excommunicated for preaching that there is no Hell.

Cast

 * Chiwetel Ejiofor as Carlton Pearson
 * Martin Sheen as Oral Roberts
 * Condola Rashad as Gina Pearson, Carlton's wife
 * Jason Segel as Henry
 * Danny Glover as Quincy Pearson, Carlton's imprisoned uncle
 * Lakeith Stanfield as Reggie
 * Allie McCulloch as Lawyer
 * Joni Bovill as Yvette Flunder
 * Stacey Sargeant as Nicky Brown
 * Vondie Curtis-Hall as J. D. Ellis
 * Dustin Lewis as Ron
 * Ric Reitz as Richard Roberts
 * Greg Lutz as Pat Robertson

Production
In July 2010, it was announced Marc Forster would produce and possibly direct the film Heretics, written by Marcus Hinchey and based on the This American Life episode of the same name. James D. Stern was set to produce the film under his Endgame Entertainment banner, with Ira Glass also producing alongside Alissa Shipp under their This American Life banner. In May 2014, it was announced Robert Redford and Jeffrey Wright had been cast in the film, which had been retitled Come Sunday, while Jonathan Demme would direct, with Forster only serving as an executive producer. In July 2016, it was announced Joshua Marston would now direct the film, with Chiwetel Ejiofor joining the cast and Netflix distributing. In September 2016, Danny Glover joined the cast of the film. In December 2016, Condola Rashad, Lakeith Stanfield and Martin Sheen joined the cast of the film, with Sheen replacing Redford. In January 2017, Stacey Sargeant joined the cast of the film.

Filming
Principal photography began in January 2017.

Release
The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2018. It was released on April 13, 2018, on Netflix.

Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of based on  reviews, with an average rating of. The website's critical consensus reads, "Come Sunday benefits greatly from Chiwetel Ejiofor's central performance, which is often enough to lift an otherwise uneven drama." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 65 out of 100, based on 14 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "The movie's pounding heart is the remarkable Ejiofor. Imbuing his role with authority, charisma, mighty strength and wrenching human frailty, he's enough to make believers of all of us." Peter Debruge of Variety wrote: "Marston, working from Marcus Hinchey’s sensitive and remarkably nuanced script, invites measured introspection from both his characters and the audience."