Holy Man MPAA Rating: PG Entertainment: +3 1/2 Content: -1

In HOLY MAN, Eddie Murphy plays the endearing G, a Gandhi-esque man on a solitary pilgrimage to enlightenment in Florida. When Florida home shopping executive Ricky Hayman (Jeff Goldblum), and media consultant Kate Newell (Kelly Preston) inadvertently cross G's path, an unusual bond is established amongst the trio. Ricky seeks to exploit G's charisma to resurrect his faltering sales figures and save his job, while G only wishes for Ricky's happiness and inner peace.Kate is genuinely affected by G's emanating love for humanity and life, and only knows that G has something she wants to be close to. When G stands in as spokesperson on Ricky's show, his off-beat, anti-materialistic messages, such as " you don't need these products", ironically spark a meteoric rise in sales. G's popularity surges and everybody is happy until Kate begins to see the personal toll which celebrity status is exacting from G. Ricky agrees, but his profit-motivation clashes with his heart, and nearly wins in this hilarious, feel-good movie. Murphy, Preston and Goldblum play off each other well, and Goldblum's analytic, non-stop style of delivery sets the tone for this most enjoyable comedy.

Surprisingly, Murphy largely avoids his characteristic foul language in this film, but he does make some comical, suggestive remarks about male genitals. These include some crude remarks he makes while hypnotizing a man. But a number of obscenities and several profanities are spoken, including several by network boss, Mr. Bainbridge (Robert Loggia). But there's no sexual content and only some brief views of scantily clad women on a beach. The film's positive messages of brotherly love and seeking inner peace over "outer" gratification is refreshing. Anti-materialism is depicted as more satisfying than acquiring "things," and the opposite effect on the show's viewers is only attributed to G's charm. Both believers and non-believers will be inspired by the love and goodness of G, and one Christian minister in the film says that his teachings are similar to those in the New Testament. However, G personally never refers to Christ, and viewers may be led away from the fact that the origin of love and salvation is Christ. This possibility and the foul language in the film prevents our recommendation.

Preview Reviewer: John Evans
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution (Touchstone), 3900 W. Alameda Ave., Burbank, CA 91251