Priest

Rating:
Summary: Magnificent
Review: Looking for a film that will address almost every major issue Christianity is facing at the outset of the third millennium? Look not farther!

The down to earth, Fr Matthew (Tom Wilkinson) is the right character, in the right place, at the right time. Having dealt with the reality of an unrealistic expectation set forth by the church--combined with the pastoral need for missionary credibility, he is the epitome liberal Vatican II priest who knows himself, knows--and loves--his church, and isn't afraid to act with integrity, even when the truth flies in the face of official expectations.

Fr Greg (Linus Roache) is the young, traditional priest, eager to follow the letter of the law. . . rubritical, impractical, and using the so-called "virtue" of conservatism as both safety net and closet.

The tragedy of this story is not on the screen--it's in the church, where--although many will deny it, and most will be offended by it--a high number (75-80%) of young clergy are using a conservative/tradtionalist front to closet their self-misunderstood homosexuality and/or gay relationships. In this respect, it is a very true to life depiction; not at all anti-catholic. . . perhaps anti-establishment, in that it tells the truth.

The counterfoil plot of the young girl being molested by her father provides the external conflict in which Fr Greg must confront human regulations and perceptions of 'right-and-wrong' in the context of relationships. It is this subplot which allows Fr Greg to deal with his own sexuality and the church's teachings on sexual orientation and celibacy.

With the support of Fr Matthew, Fr Greg comes to a place of integrity--wholeness of self--mind, soul, and body.

An aside note for the wary: this film is used in many seminaries and other ministerial formation programs, so intensely 'real' is its depiction of what ministry-with-integrity can be.

Rating:
Summary: A Priest, Not a Saint
Review: At its core, "Priest" is a thoughtful examination of faith, conscience, and feeling and how those concepts can sometimes conflict with dogma, ideology, and tradition ... more simply put, spirituality versus religion. As a long-term associate of an Interfaith agency (and someone who deals with persons from many different faith communities), I found the characters and plot realistic, and was gratified that the script offered no easy answers to the dilemmas it presented. Real life is often messy; the film demonstrates that there are times when an ideal moral choice is neither clear nor even possible, and that a religious calling does not exempt one from the temptations and foibles of being human. These same tensions have been approached (usually as subplots) in many films over the years, including "The Song of Bernadette" (1943), "The Keys of the Kingdom" (1945), and "The Left Hand of God" (1955); "Priest" pushes the envelope by exploring these themes in the context of sexual situations within the Church.

The DVD transfer is beautiful, offering clear and crisp video and sound. The film features a superb performance by Linus Roache, and some very artful editing (with the exception of a couple of spots in which it's obvious that scenes have been snipped by the censors' scissors). I would have liked a few extras on the DVD, like an interview with the director and/or screenwriter, and perhaps some balanced coverage of the controversy the film has generated since its release. A theatrical trailer would also have been welcome. (How was this volatile film marketed, both in the USA and abroad?)

These missing features aside, this movie (to date) is not frequently screened on US cable or broadcast television, and I welcomed the opportunity to see it, and to be moved by it.

Rating:
Summary: Asks good questions
Review: I enjoyed Priest and felt it asked quality questions and addressed heavy issues. The strongest question is if our expectations of those in the service of the church are realistic. I thought the script was good and the acting was solid. This is not a feel good movie but it is a movie that inspires thought and it will draw you in and impact your emotions. It offers no easy answers and hits several issues hard. If you have a collection of Gay films than this would be a good addition for a well rounded selection. This was a good investment of time and money.

Rating:
Summary: Another visit to the PRIEST
Review: Re-visiting PRIEST, a film by Antonia Bird that is genteel, soulful, yet probing and made in 1995, makes us realize how much of a wake-up call it was to the internal troubles wasting the Catholic Church so blasted in the media on a daily basis in 2003. This extraordinary film looks at the issues from the inside of the Church, issues such as incest, adultery, celibacy, homosexuality, privacy of the confessional, misguided allegiance to the parish in favor of the doctrine of the priesthood vows, etc. Much of the sensitivity of the message of the film (that despite vows and dictums, priests are human beings whose occassional 'weaknesses' can make them even more effective as tenders of the flock) is due to superb performances by a cast of committed actors. Tom Wilkinson shines as a priest who (against the vow of celibacy)lives with his lover, the tender and beautiful Cathy Tyson, dedicating his role for the common man, a priest who cares more about social injustice than about ancient rules of catholic order. Linus Roache, as a creed-challenged young priest who copes with being gay as well as his inability to share confessional secrets about the incest of his parishoner Lisa (Christine Tremarco), and her trustingly uninformed mother (Lesly Sharp). Robert Carlyle is Roache's 'lover' and is introduced to us in this film before he subsequently became the established actor he is today. The affair between Roache and Carlyle is as sensual and touching as any gay affair on film. The growing relationship between Wilkinson and Roache is humorous and tender and triumphant. Antonia Bird directs with a taut eye on character and atmosphere and makes her story dark and light and quiet and probing. This is a fine film that just grows better with each watching. The only moment of laxity comes at the very end when the heartstrings are pulled below pitch with the wholly unnecessary music background of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' muddying up an otherwise honestly moving film.

Rating:
Summary: It's More Relevant Now Than Ever.
Review: If you're a Bostonian like me, chances are you must be sick to death of the nonstop media coverage of the priest abuse scandals. But with all that's going on in the Catholic church, a movie like "Priest" is even more vital now than ever. In one of the most underrated performances ever, Linus Roache is Father Greg, who, upon being newly assigned to a British parish, gets caught in a web of drama involving child abuse, sexuality, the sacrament of Confession, and the priestly vow of celibacy. Without revealing spoilers, "Priest" confronts some pretty throny issues lesser films would dodge. It also has great performances from Academy Award nominee Tom Wilkinson ("In the Bedroom") and Robert Carlyle, who shows not a trace of the frightening intensity he brought to his role in "Trainspotting." The film borders on sentiment during a scene when they play "You'll Never Walk Alone," but otherwise, it's a pretty solid affair. While Miramax spends millions of dollars hyping to death more mainstream films like "Chocolat" and "Cider House Rules," "Priest" gets the shaft on DVD. There are virtually no features on this package. Even so, this film is worth a look, for it is one of the very best movies of the 1990s.

Rating:
Summary: Priest is movie that moves the soul
Review: This film touches the human soul. It looks at the priest hood in its human form. Linus Roache plays Father Greg Pilkington. Father Greg is going through hard times he knows he is supposed to be a priest, however his sexual urgings for men is strong. He starts a relationship with Grahm, and although he knows he is breaking his vow of celibacy he cannot stop. Sharing his home and church is father Matthew an older worldlier priest played by Tom Wilkinson, who becomes a great friend. However father Matthew is also having an affair with the live in house keeper Maria. Father Greg's problems are not just refined to his sexual orientation and relationship with Grahm. In confession he learns a horrible story by a young girl. His only choices are to stay quiet or tell and break the sanctity of confession. Staying quiet will mean the young girl continues to suffer. Through all his trials and tribulations, I grew to love Father Greg and care about the cast of characters. So if you sick of movies all about killing and death, this is a movie about life and the battle it is to live it and what it means to be human.

Rating:
Summary: A Priest, Not a Saint
Review: At its core, "Priest" is a thoughtful examination of faith, conscience, and feeling and how those concepts can sometimes conflict with dogma, ideology, and tradition ... more simply put, spirituality versus religion. As a long-term associate of an Interfaith agency (and someone who deals with persons from many different faith communities), I found the characters and plot realistic, and was gratified that the script offered no easy answers to the dilemmas it presented. Real life is often messy; the film demonstrates that there are times when an ideal moral choice is neither clear nor even possible, and that a religious calling does not exempt one from the temptations and foibles of being human. These same tensions have been approached (usually as subplots) in many films over the years, including "The Song of Bernadette" (1943), "The Keys of the Kingdom" (1945), and "The Left Hand of God" (1955); "Priest" pushes the envelope by exploring these themes in the context of sexual situations within the Church.

The DVD transfer is beautiful, offering clear and crisp video and sound. The film features a superb performance by Linus Roache, and some very artful editing (with the exception of a couple of spots in which it's obvious that scenes have been snipped by the censors' scissors). I would have liked a few extras on the DVD, like an interview with the director and/or screenwriter, and perhaps some balanced coverage of the controversy the film has generated since its release. A theatrical trailer would also have been welcome. (How was this volatile film marketed, both in the USA and abroad?)

These missing features aside, this movie (to date) is not frequently screened on US cable or broadcast television, and I welcomed the opportunity to see it, and to be moved by it.

Rating:
Summary: I've never liked religions, but I adore human emotions.
Review: Christian, not Christian; gay, not gay; does it matter? We are all prisoners of our own, chained by our individual view points of this world and of this life. Want to think or just bored, want to be touched or just to be aroused, take your time watch the film. Life is no more.

Rating:
Summary: Priest - an overlooked glance at truth
Review: Linus Roache gives a commendable, even accomplished, performance as the "Priest" torn asunder by his need for faith and his need to fulfill his fleshly desires. The film moves at an even pace and is done tastefully. The movie poignantly shows both the burdens of faith and the burdens of the flesh. When the title character, in a pivotal scene, refuses to administer the eucharist to one of his "partners", the paradox becomes conundrum. Even though the motivation behind this action appears immediate, I fully suggest watching this scene alone three or four times; only then will Linus Roaches' perfomance show the true nuance of subtle understanding which the actor seems to bring to the character. This movie is worth owning for several reasons, not the least of which is its underlying tenet of truth. But, issues such as religion, faith, spirituality are fluent concepts that everyone comes to their personal terms with through thIer own personal experiences. This film encourages the audience to be challenged by the content and subject matter without truly passing harsh judgements. (The characters may judge themselves and each others' actions, but the tone of the film is more ambiguous.) Go on, challenge yourself; and do it more than once.

Rating:
Summary: Powerful, Emotionally Harrowing
Review: The striking opening sequence of 'Priest' depicts an enraged elderly cleric, having learned he is being pushed into retirement, utilizing a large crucifix as a battering ram and raiding the offices of the bishop; the climax of the film is one of the most powerful, emotionally shattering scenes I have ever seen, imbued with forgiveness and redemption and humanity at its shining best, courageously in the face of humanity at its self-righteous worst. In between is a searing indictment of the outdated practices of the Catholic Church and its breeding of intolerance and hate. Father Greg Pilkington (portrayed with astonishing clarity and mesmerizing, gut-wrenching passion by Linus Roache) is a young, idealistic priest who is more than a little put-off by his unorthodox partner, Father Matthew Thomas (a wonderful performance by the great Tom Wilkinson), who sings karaoke at the neighborhood pub and sleeps with the housekeeper. But Father Greg's smug little world soon begins to spin out of control as he attempts to deal with his own homosexuality and with a heartbreaking secret learned by him in the confessional. Roache's breathtaking performance is palpable and eloquently harrowing as Father Greg becomes more and more tortured by guilt and grief. Also in the film, in a winning, endearing turn, is Robert Carlyle (one of Wilkinson's cohorts in 'The Full Monty') as Graham, the object (and the victim) of Father Greg's affection. 'Priest' is a remarkable and revelatory piece of work, intelligent and gripping and deeply felt. Highly, highly recommended.