Written by John Michael McDonagh ‘calvary’returning from Sundance Film Festival and from 64Berlin is now visible in stream Of Kilos.
I would like to start abnormally
By putting a celestial background before reading. Here
Music column
Music, perfect for managing souls and lives is by Patrick Cassidy. Indelible, wavering, the dark and majestic theme: Freddy Joyce. The whole movie listening is also worth it alone.
The review
A very powerful story and a cast excellent, among which it stands out Brendan Gleesonjust back from the masterpiece The Banshees of Inisherin (2022), seen at the Venice Film Festival and directed by John’s brother: Martin McDonagh.
Violence against females, against males, pedophilia, relationships with children. Cynicism of society and its meanness. There is denunciation, mockery, iconoclasm of the rich and their neuroses. Immanence of the poor and their adaptation. The church that loses ground, reliability and faithful. The priest is like a psychologist, useful to society which no longer has not only the ability to listen, but also the desire to protect those who try to heal it.
Don’t despair. One of the two thieves was saved
Do not fool yourself. The other was damned
from St. Augustine
Brendan Gleeson’s Strength
His presence makes a movie. His charisma elevates every idea. His fullness, even physical, fills the screen with quality. Here Gleeson gives a performance full of soul. She also interacts well with other actors including her daughter Kelly Reilly, Chris O’Dowd, Aidan Gillen, Dylan Moran, Domhnall Gleeson, M. Emmet Walsh and Isaach de Bankolé.
The quotes
In addition to physique du role of special actors, the strength of the film lies in the quotations. Irony and dryness of the sentences spoken which, in return, dry the jaws of the beholder, interface with a well-written story. Alternating biblical and evangelical references to personal stories, often revealed in confession, the director has the idea of reuniting the antinomy between church, pedophilia, scandals and abuses, against the authentic vocation of a real call. That of a simple priest, first man, who puts his soul into it: Gleeson.
“The first time I tasted sperm I was seven years old”
“Do you know what felching is?”
“See how the lilies of the field grow; they neither toil nor spin”
From the Gospel according to Matthew 6, 24-34
“She was a lovely girl.
She told me she had been violent before then.
Well one more time makes no difference then”
I believe he is bipolar. Or lactose intolerant
The ugliness of humanity: the rich, soulless
Playing the whims of the rich yet again, I think getting a tycoon to piss on The two ambassadors by Hans Holbein, on the anamorphosis which allows from the side, to see a skull emerging, be it the worst that can happen to humanity. Thus literally desecrating the concept of culture, as well as the value of property understood as a cosmic and personal void, the director crystallizes his clear ideas.
There are no murders, no thefts, no missed financial deals or expropriations of banks, mortgages or attempted suicides, abuses and violence mentioned in the film, worse than an irreverent act like the one performed towards art. But on the other hand the ignorance of the rich, without soul or values, is all there to see.
“Guiana is one of those African countries
Look, Guyana is in South America.
I do not think so. I’ve always been good at geography”
It is said that if you look deeply you can find beauty everywhere
It is the life of a priest, a pastor who spends his days bringing love and listening to others, the needy, the least. Going to visit the elderly, attending prison, celebrating the rite of extreme unction, this good and welcoming priest wanders around to save lost souls. Or to bring them some relief. References to colonialism to Islam, to the loss of spirituality and to the effort that a candid soul makes to give relief to others who are unaware, are the binary deivrs of reading a film that leaves you speechless for the sagacity of the writing, supported by great actors and a current idea.
See why
Forgive them, because they know what they are doing
In Calvary, Father James (Brendan Gleeson) is a good priest who has to deal with difficult circumstances caused by a mysterious faithful of his parish. Though he continues to support his frail daughter (Kelly Reilly) and help his parishioners with their woes, he has a presentiment of an ominous force to come, and begins to question whether he will have the courage to face his own personal Calvary.
The poster
Production
Octagon Films, Irish Film Board, Reprisal Films, Lipsync Productions