Director David Holbrooke follows FaticaÕs Hard as Nails ministry in this documentary, which, despite its open access to FaticaÕs life and family—including his wife, Mary, whoÕs about to give birth to their first child, and his affluent parents, who seem befuddled at their sonÕs career choice—provides a balanced portrait of a man totally committed to his profession and his faith, for better or worse.

To be sure, FaticaÕs ministry, which focuses on bringing the word of God to troubled teens, goes to extremes to get its message across. Fatica gets in the kidsÕ faces, screaming like a particularly manic drill sergeant, veins and eyes bulging. He brings boys and girls to the front of the church or hall to tell their stories of abuse and neglect, only to challenge audience members to do something about their pain. He puts hoods on teens and makes them drag life-sized crosses while ministry team members shout at them and simulate the pounding of nails.

Sometimes, FaticaÕs methods seem cruel on the surface, such as when he brings an overweight team member before the congregation and yells about how fat she is, and then charges the audience to look past her physical form and embrace her inner beauty. The responses Fatica gets to his methods are equally complex, with some teens breaking down into tears while others accept the positive message beneath the bellowing.

Fatica has his detractors in the Catholic Church, though—at one point, his ministry is banned from preaching in Catholic churches in Vermont because of his extreme approach to preaching the Gospel, and some of the parents of the children he speaks to express concern about the sensitive issues he raises and the way he deals with them. One former employer notes that Fatica often ignored the line between Òteaching and preaching.Ó

HolbrookeÕs documentary makes it clear that Fatica isnÕt just talking the talk, but walking the walk as well. Fatica is a True Believer whoÕs able to take it as well as dish it out, like when a man on the street tells him that organized religion is Òfucking bullshitÓ or when some of the kids smirk at the in-your-face approach. Holbrooke also includes passages that humanize Fatica rather than reducing him to an Elmer Gantry wannabe, such as his wife describing how they met and fell in love, the birth of his son and his relationship with his parents, who love their son even if they donÕt quite get why heÕs doing what heÕs doing or how heÕs doing it.

Holbrooke doesnÕt ignore FaticaÕs warts, though. He includes scenes where Fatica straddles the border between faith and fanaticism, like when he advocated working out with weights as a means of curbing masturbation or when he thanks God while taking a leak. There are also unintentional laughs, like when Fatica checks his cell phone in the midst of a prayer before eating, or when a team member practicing for a mock crucifixion asks the man holding the hammer, ÒYou gonna do the feet?Ó

Fatica also displays remarkable self-awareness, knowing that he may seem insane to people who donÕt believe as resolutely as he does or donÕt like his evangelical style. ÒIf you donÕt like how IÕm doinÕ it, you do it,Ó he says--another challenge for his audience (and his critics) to consider before they toss another stone.

Whether you agree with FaticaÕs methods or questions his effectiveness or not, you canÕt come away from Hard as Nails with any questions about the depth of his faith or his commitment to his work. As intense and extreme as he can be, you donÕt get the sense that heÕs saying one thing and doing another; he practices what he preaches. Holbrooke does an admirable job of capturing that fervor while still keeping sight of the man behind it.