Calvary

Sensational. Exploring themes of modern day cynicism and stereotyping towards the Church, Calvary follows a holy man in a small village in Sligo. This hilarious and poignant film had me gripped, as it is packed with clever ideas and ponderings, with Brendan Gleeson portraying the voice of reason and truth in a neighbourhood of sinners (he himself not being your typical and boring whiter-than-white priest). Gleeson is fantastic with the subtlety of voice that is needed to deliver the film's unique brand of black comedy. The supporting cast is rock solid. Aiden Gillen is a treat as always, and Chris O'Dowd is a welcome addition to the film industry of the past few years.

The cinematography and score are breath taking and encapsulating. The beautiful Irish countryside, and the short, wide, photographic-like shots are a delight to watch. Calvary is the best film of 2014.

A

bleak

Father James is a priest in a seaside town in Ireland. Bearded, big, friendly, and a widower with an adult daughter, he came to the priesthood later in life than usual. In the opening scene of the film Calvary, an unseen man on the other side of the confessional partition reveals he plans to avenge his past molestation by a Catholic priest by murdering Father James, an honest and upright representative of a powerful, yet deeply compromised system. He says the murder will transpire next Sunday. Father James knows or at least strongly suspects the identity of the potential murderer, but is hesitant to confront or report him. He instead spends perhaps his final days reflecting on his life and traveling around the town, conversing—or feuding—with its citizens. (The film recalls Lars von Trier's masterpiece Breaking the Waves in the way it transplants a stations-of-the-cross story of profound self-sacrifice to a contemporary environment.) James is played by the magnificent Irish actor Brendan Gleeson, who also headlined writer and director John Michael McDonagh's debut film, the charming and profane crime comedy The Guard. This is a heavier, more cynical and grim film, but Gleeson remains the right man to lead the way. Few can convey salty, world-forged exhaustion with as much authenticity as he, and he also an unusual ability to be at once charming and intimidating, perhaps owing to his outsize physique as contrasted with and complemented by the spirited charge of life in his eyes.

Along with atmospheric and imposing photography of the green hills and stormy beaches of Ireland, he grounds and sustains Calvary even when it threatens to tip into an area both broad and didactic due to the characterization of the rogues' gallery of townspeople, each a potential foe to the noble priest. They are amusing and frightening in their way (one, a doctor, uses a human heart as an ashtray), but there is a sense they were conceived as plot points and symbols. They do not feel alive, unpredictable, and vital the way the protagonist does. A modest flaw in an otherwise satisfying film which boldly wrestles with controversial religious themes, builds to a startling conclusion, and features one of the finest performances of the year.

B+

Did you enjoy it?

Yes.

Would you see it again if it arrived at your local cinema?

It is at my local cinema.

I doubt I will see it again in theatres, but chances are I will buy the Blu-ray and watch it a few more times at home.

I'm a little disappointed actually. I thought you would like it more than your grades suggests.

Gleeson is very good here. The atmosphere set up here is great and it's a good look at a small community through it's pastor. One of the main problems though is that some of the supporting characters' stories are uninteresting and drive the film down. Refine some of those stories and the film would be very strong.