A parishioner tells Father James (Brendan Gleeson) in the confession
booth that he is going to kill him, in vengeance for the sexual abuse he
suffered as a child from another, now deceased, priest. Father James has until
next Sunday to put his affairs into order, before his death sentence at the
beach. An opportunity for reconciliation appears to Father James when his
daughter Fiona (Kelly Reilly) visits him after a suicide attempt, who felt
abandoned when her father went to join the clergy after her mother died. Despite
the threat against his life, Father James decides to carry on trying to help
his local congregation, including the local butcher Jack (Chris O’Dowd), his
adulterous wife Veronica (Orla O’Rourke), her boyfriend Simon (Isaach de Bankolé),
the foppish millionaire Michael Fitzgerald (Dylan Moore) and the embittered
young man Milo (Killian Scott) to name some.
Calvary is an unexpectedly
powerful study of religion in Ireland, a country suffering from the economic
recession, reeling and angered by the Catholic abuse revelations. Father James
is verbally assaulted and derided for the actions/inactions of his Church and
the irrelevance of his religion. Going to church for these parishioners is more
of a matter of routine than religious undertaking. Everyone, including his
would-be murderer, does concede that Father James is a good man. However, it
doesn’t stop them from teasing him constantly, which does verge on the edge of
completely demonising these non-religious characters. In one scene Father James
is criticised for being a judgemental man, to which he replies, ‘Yes, I am. But
I try not to be.’ At the central heart of Calvary,
it is a story about a man struggling to apply his ideals to a modern time; trying
hard to be virtuous and forgiving but conflicted in the face of moral apathy
and cynicism.
However, the film is sometimes heavy-handed in its
glorification of Father James, although it does make clear that he is a flawed
man, especially in one shot towards the end of the film which is almost a
parody of symbolism. Additionally, the knowingness of the film sometimes
undermines the poignancy of certain scenes. Whilst Calvary is sombre, a line of dark wry humour runs through the film,
often emanating from Father James’ reactions. When Milo tries to justify
wanting to join the army, Father James remarks, ‘I don’t think Sligo is too
high on al-Quaeda’s agenda, Milo, do you?’ Calvary
also benefits from Larry Smith’s splendid cinematography, which uses the scenery
to create stark backgrounds for the characters onscreen. The Irish Sea is
almost a character in its own right, constantly foaming and breaking against
the black rocks of the coastline.
Brendan Gleeson’s performance is so fascinating; it makes us
forget the numerous problems apparent in Calvary.
Gleeson captures the haggardness of Father James, a man who joined the clergy to
escape his own problems, but also his deep kindness and integrity to his duty.
Gleeson seems to bend under the weight of the troubles, even when it appears he
has finally snapped he won’t forsake his principles. The supporting cast bring
their own small touches to the disillusioned parishioners, adding some humanity
to their characters. One actress who stood out was Marie-Josée Croze as Teresa,
in a scene with Gleeson talking about faith and death, who is completely
devoted to her faith.
Calvary is a
poignant insight to religion in post-Catholic Ireland, containing one of
Brendan Gleeson’s best performances to date.
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