MOVIE REVIEW: Calvary

Published Sep 12, 2014

Share

CALVARY

DIRECTOR: John Michael McDonagh

CAST: Brendan Gleeson, Aidan Gillan, Dylan Moran, Chris O’Dowd, Kelly Reilly Domhall Gleeson

CLASSIFICATION: 16 LVD

RUNNING TIME: 100 minutes

RATING: ****

THIS melancholic drama is centred on an engaging performance from Gleeson (pictured). He creates a warm character who is world-weary, but constant in his faith, which is tested to its limits over a week.

“Calvary” refers to either a sculptured representation of the Crucifixion, or an exper- ience of intense, anguished mental questioning. This here is more the intense anguish side, though there are 12 supporting characters and it is about whether this good person can withstand then forces of evil and find forgiveness in his heart.

Gleeson plays a Catholic priest, working out of an Irish seaside village. Father James, a layman turned priest, is stead- fast and decent in a time when these qualities do not seem to make much of an impact on the people around him.

The film is a beautifully crafted representation of Father James’ period of intense questioning during a trying time. The cinema-tography is full of saturated colours with plenty of golden light and a huge hill which hulks and looms over the outdoor scenes for a sinister tone. Gleeson wanders through the film in a black cassock, framed by deep greens and browns, cutting a stark figure.

During confessional he is told by a member of his parish that one week hence this person will kill him because he represents the Catholic Church. While said person knows Father James was not the one who abused him, that particular priest died a while ago, so Father James is just going to have to stand in.

While the film follows the whodunnit conventions, it is more a case of who is going to do it for the viewer.

So, Father James moves through his week, setting his affairs in order, which for him means going about his busi- ness as the parish priest. As he deals with various eccentric characters who range from a cheating boyfriend to an old man who wishes to die on his own terms, things take on an ominous tone and the viewer starts identifying vendettas in every character.

As Father James interacts with the villagers they vilify and revile him for his very existence and presence, yet they all reach out to him, wanting counsel and his presence. They are an eccentric mix of broken and messed up cynics and hedonists and his inter- action with his daughter, the emotionally fragile yet very independent and strong Fiona (Reilly), is especially intriguing. The two find common ground as they discuss the nature of forgiveness and whether it isn’t an underrated virtue.

The rest of the characters come and go very quickly, though each has his own quirks. The film is about Father James’ reactions though, with guilt, contrition and forgiveness being the biggest themes.

Especially in his interaction with the imprisoned Freddy Joyce (played by Gleeson’s son, Domhnall), who really makes Father James question the nature of God and forgiveness.

The film attempts to ask a very difficult question – it pits the sexual abuse scandals plaguing the Catholic Church against the virtue of institutional priesthood. Father James is an example of a good priest so can that kind of person overcome all the bad that has occurred in the name of the church?

Asking the question makes this is a very tough film to market because it never actually gives an answer and that is just so anti-Hollywood.

If you liked Locke or The Guard you will like this.

Related Topics: