PRIEST
A film review by Ben Hoffman
Copyright 1995 Ben Hoffman
This is the film that is being bashed by the Catholic heirarchy despite their not having seen it. Boycott of advertisers, Miramax and Disney have been declared. For me, it was a fascinating film which I'd like to recommend.
Liverpool is one of the more difficult cities for the Church to work in because of its impoverished parishes. Father Ellerton (James Ellis) has found it too much for him; Young Father Greg Pilkington (Linus Roache) is sent to replace him. Pilkington is a sincere, devout, ethical Catholic. Before long he is beset with problems he, too, is unable to handle.
For one thing, he is astonished and disturbed when he finds that Father Matthew Thomas (Tom Wilkinson) has given up on his vows of celibacy and is sharing the bed of his housekeeper, Maria (Cathy Tyson). In the confessional, where the priests are not permitted to divulge what has been told to them by the "sinner," a fourteen-year-old Lisa (Christine Tremarco) reveals she is being sexually abused by her father. How is Father Greg supposed do deal with that?
Among the many other questions Father Greg must face is that of homosexuality.
PRIEST is a film about honesty and toleration of others' actions, of compassion for those for whom desire outweighs the behavior the Church would espouse. Beautifully done.
Directed by Antonia Bird
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Ben Hoffman
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