My Review of Calvary (2014)

 

Written And Directed by John Michael McDonagh

Father James: "What do you want to say to me? I'm here to listen to whatever you have to say."

Jack: "I'm going to kill you, Father."

Father James: "Certainly a startling opening line."

After watching The Guard (2011), of course I had to catch up with Calvary (2014). Brendan Gleeson going from an amoral garda to a cantankerous priest and the way this movie opened, it's not hard to see why he'd be pissed off.

The movie started with Gleeson's priest, Father James taking confession with a mystery man. The latter informed Father James that he was a victim of sexual abuse by the priests and even though James wasn't an abuser, he was going to be killed on the next Sunday.

Now, given this advanced warning, you'd think James would've just relocated and avoided death but alas, he didn't. Even after getting rather unhelpful advice from fellow priest, Father Leary (David Wilmot) and Bishop Garret Montgomery (David McSavage), he stuck around.

Then again when Father James wasn't contemplating imminent death, he was spending time with estranged daughter, Fiona (Kelly Reilly). They had something of a complicated relationship, though there was a clear affection between the two of them. Perhaps James should have gone with her instead of waiting to be killed.

Then there's the mystery man himself. The local butcher Jack Brennan (Chris O'Dowd). He wanted revenge for the abuse he suffered. His wife Veronica (Orla O'Rourke) was sleeping with another man named Simon (Isaach de Bankolé) and he didn't care. He just wanted revenge for his past trauma.

There's a great dramatic performance from Chris O'Dowd on that beach as Jack succeeded in actually killing Father James. Then he went to prison with Fiona paying him a visit. It certainly ended this film on a complex note.

- There's an array of well written supporting characters played by Killian Scott (the porn addled Milo Herlihy), Aiden Gillen (the arrogant Dr Frank Harte), M. Emmett Walsh (a writer named Ger Ryan) and Owen Sharpe (a rather talkative rent boy named Leo). Domhnall Gleeson also appeared as Freddie Joyce.

- Father James never finished Moby Dick so Jack had to be a dick and spoil the book. At least Jack wasn't responsible for the death of James's dog.

-Standour music: Fred Neil's The Dolphins.

- Chronology: In a small parish, likely Sligo as that was where the movie was filmed.

As a follow up movie, Calvary (2014) did lose a point for the dog death. Saying that, it's very funny and very bleak in parts and the cast are on excellent form. It's definitely worth watching.

Rating: 8 out of 10