Calvary (2014) User Reviews

Bleak and disturbing

[davidgee · 8/10 · 16 April 2014]

A timely title for Holy Week. Father James (Brendan Gleeson), a village priest in a coastal village in Ireland, is told in the confessional that one of his parishioners is going to kill him. The man was abused by a priest for five years as a child; that priest has died, but killing the innocent Father James will be revenge for the other priests's abuse of an innocent boy.

A challenging set-up for a movie, especially one which sells itself as a comedy - albeit a very dark comedy. With Father James we meet most of the locals, a sinful lot for such a small village. The butcher who beats his two-timing wife; the aggressive local publican; the cynical doctor; the alcoholic landowner; the police inspector with a taste for rent-boys; an ancient exiled American writer (M. Emmet Walsh).

Having been married (and widowed) before he answered the Call, Father James has an unhappy daughter (Kelly Reilly) down from the big city, her wrists bandaged from a suicide attempt. A week after the woeful NOAH, I half expected a Flood to overwhelm the village, full as it was of folk sliding into wickedness. The central mystery of which of them has threatened the priest is a bit of a cheat, since surely he would have recognised the voice in the confessional.

The dark mountains and pounding seas which sandwich the village are as atmospherically filmed as they were in David Lean's RYAN'S DAUGHTER, and a fine score boosts the film's seesaw moves between comedy and tragedy. The script is clumsy in parts, but the actors carry us over the bumps. Brendan Gleeson is on splendid form (I wish he'd played Noah last week!) and the rest of the cast turn in believable performances. There is no comedy in the bleak finale. This is a dark and disturbing low-budget movie which, like PHILOMENA, will linger in the mind long after multi-million-dollar blockbusters have faded into a CGI haze.

A strong Irish film with great performances

[estebangonzalez10 · 8/10 · 18 July 2014]

¨ I've always felt there's something inherently psychopathic about joining the army in peace time.¨

Calvary is director, John Michael McDonagh's followup to 2011's The Guard which also happened to star Brendan Gleeson in the lead role. This time Gleeson plays a Catholic Priest named Father James who is threatened during a confession by someone who we don't get to see. This man claims to have been sexually molested by a Priest several times as a kid and although Father James is a good and decent Priest he must take the fall in order for a statement to be made. Father James is given one week (or so this man claims) before being killed on the following Sunday on the beach. The father is troubled by this threat but he must continue doing his parish work during the remaining course of the week. We follow him as he has some deep conversations with the different members of the small Irish town they live in. It's a very interesting premise that hooks you from the start and has you wondering which of all the troubled people in the town might be the one who has threatened this goodhearted Priest. However the film works just as fine without that premise because the interactions between these characters is the true center of the story. These are all broken men and women who the Father interacts with and most of the conversations are deep and spiritual. Calvary isn't a film about religion, but it does have some important things to say about faith and virtues. It is very well written by McDonagh and the screenplay is rich in dark comedy; perhaps one of the best things about this movie. This is a film that could be very easily adapted to a stage play because the written material is superb and carries the movie on its own. Calvary also benefits from the beautiful scenery of the Irish coast line and a wonderful supporting cast. This is a film that sticks with you and one I wouldn't mind watching again.

Brendan Gleeson is a fantastic actor and one wishes he continue to collaborate with director McDonagh. I remembered he also gave a fantastic performance in In Bruges, which ironically was written and directed by John McDonagh's brother. These guys are great writers and know how to include a lot of wit in their dialogues. The rest of the cast is fantastic as well. Kelly Reilly plays Fiona, Father James's daughter (I know you might be thinking what is a Priest doing with a daughter because I asked myself the same question, but we quickly find out that James was once married and when his wife died he became a Priest). She is going through some difficult times, and James is trying to help her find answers. Chris O'Dowd also gives a terrific performance as one of the members from the parish whose wife is having an affair with an African man, but he seems OK with this because he can finally enjoy his freedom. Aidan Gillen (from Game of Thrones) plays the Atheist doctor, while Emmet Walsh is an old writer who is well aware that he's approaching death. These are just some of the people that Father James deals with in his community and each interaction is very rich and profound. There is plenty of dark humor balanced with a great amount of spiritual questions. I was pleasantly surprised with how well the material was handled. I can't even remember when was the last time that a Priest was portrayed so well on screen. Calvary is a powerful film with great performances and some sharp writing, and that is why this is one of the must see films of 2014. All I know is that after watching this I was desperate to get my hands on The Guard which I haven't had a chance to see but definitely will now. I highly recommend Calvary.

Surprisingly Far-Reaching

[pj-bus · 8/10 · 13 April 2014]

At the end of the film I reflected that this was a far bigger film that I had been expecting. The issues explored in the film really do come together at the end. The credits roll silently and I noticed that the full cinema was very quiet and remained so for a much longer time than usual.

The problems in the Catholic church have had repercussions and this parish in Sligo is losing its faith. This loss of faith is portrayed very vividly, it is expressed more strongly than in reality I think.

The film revolves around the character of Father James Lavelle played powerfully by Brendan Gleeson. As Father James visits his parishioners there is much humour, often quite dark. The script has many choice lines. A man arrives to give a lift to a female parishioner who has been sexually promiscuous and she says "here is my ride".

Father James Lavelle is a likable priest, grappling with applying the church's teachings in the modern world. It is a thankless task and always his objective is undermined by the failures of the church itself. Father James's character is contrasted with that of a younger priest he shares the parish with (David Wilmot). The younger priest is very much part of the institution of the church and his loyal naïvety is humorous and infuriating.

Father James' life is threatened at the beginning, but this film is not a detective story, it is not Father Brown. Father James knows who threatened him but we the audience are not let in on the secret. The logic behind the threat is described ingeniously as events in the film come to a head at the end.

Priest faces his death better than others face life

[maurice_yacowar · 9/10 · 19 August 2014]

In confessional, a parishioner tells Father James he will kill him in a fortnight because Father James is good man, an excellent priest,. His murder would be a shock to the church that countenanced the man's boyhood sexual abuse. Despite knowing who his threat is, Father James spends the time ministering to his parishioners — including his killer's domestic issues, preserving the sacred privacy of the confessional. He gets a gun but at the last minute throws it into the sea. He plans to escape to Dublin but changes his mind as he boards the plane. What prompts that change is seeing two airport employees idly chatting as they lean over a coffin. Inside is a good man who was killed in a car crash with drunken teenagers. Father James is strengthened by seeing the casual way in which that victimized innocence is treated. There is no respect there, no overall sense of holiness or decency, just two yobs leaning over a box. That revives Father James's conscience and he returns to face his fate. The dead man's wife is the only character here who has no crisis of faith. She knows her husband was a good man. Though in pain, she accepts his — what we would think is Absurd — random death. She appreciates the kindness the strangers have shown her. Serenely she is flying him home. Father James's daughter, who looks like her — thin, delicate, wan — grows through the film from her shaky recovery from a suicide attempt to her own serenity, when she goes to the prison to talk to her father's killer. As Father James told his daughter, the most undervalued virtue is forgiveness. After a broken romance caused her to despair, now her father's sacrifice brings her a surprising peace. She forgives the troubled killer and can then forgive herself the lesser failures she has magnified. So when Father James goes back to confront his killer he is performing his function. He learned that from the good man of abused acceptance in the coffin. In performing that role he — like Jesus — expiates the other's sin. He saves his killer's soul by exorcising the abused boy's rage and helplessness. For the killer to forgive his abuser, the church and ultimately himself for the murder, though, the butcher needs the model of the priest's daughter's forgiveness. That distinguishes this killer from the one Father James visits in prison, a cannibal who feels nothing. In contrast, with the exception of the new widow, every character suffers from the wealthy landowner's confessed "disassociation." The daughter is adrift, unmoored by the loss of her father to the priesthood after she lost her mother to a lingering death. The campy male prostitute constantly plays a gangster grotesque to avoid making any human connection. He's most comfortable crisply shooting pool. The landowner at one point takes down a treasured painting from his wall and urinates on it. Abandoned by his family and even his servant — to whom he later admits he never felt attached anyway — his wealth is meaningless. His 100,000 Euro check to the church means nothing to him, neither as gesture nor as value.The painting is Holbein's The Ambassadors, which famously shows two wealthy overdressed men, a display of secular opulence, with in the foreground an anamorphic image of a skull that can only be seen from the side. In this brilliant composition, the askew view from the side undermines the impressive secularity seen from the front. A Christ hangs obscured in a distant corner. "Calvary" of course means "the place of the skull" — the place where we confront our mortality, as Christ assumed his. This painting is an emblem of the film — but with a twist. From the frontal view our impression is of a troubled, pained, helpless secular existence, where even a good priest is immediately suspect for chatting with a little girl, where the Catholic church stands condemned for its greed and its abandonment of its children, for its hypocrisy. But viewed from a different angle, from Father James's perspective, there survives the reminder of grace, of forgiveness, of connection. One more point about that painting. It famously hangs in London's National Gallery. In no way could this character own it. So what he's so proud of having spent so much meaningless money to buy, what he thinks he is so dramatically despoiling to demonstrate his power, is — a fake. He was had when he bought it and his every estimation of it is wrong. The fake is as dissociated from its original promise as the character is. There are three priests here. The young colleague and the older bishop look the same: thin, bloodless, lifeless, with no spark or energy to suggest a calling. In contrast Father James has the physical bulk of a Falstaff and erupts into that rogue's drunken violence on the eve of his mortal test. Father James is a man of flesh and passion. Having had a daughter before he became a priest, he knows the flesh. He knows love, so he doesn't need a picture to remember his wife. He has been a drinker. Behind his adoration of the beyond is a full fathoming of the here. He can cry for his murdered dog the way he couldn't cry for his church's young victims, for he too knew disassociation.

Calvary - Utterly Superb.

[georgetdavies · 9/10 · 17 May 2014]

Calvary

Honestly, for those of you who haven't seen this film, go and see it. It's absolutely fantastic!

Brendan Gleeson gives a stunning performance as a troubled priest who has to come to terms with something shocking that he has been told will happen. It paints a brutal, realistic and yet original picture of modern Ireland. All the characters in the film are exaggerated representations of the types of people you get in Ireland today IMO. The story is touching, emotional, real and unforgettable.

My favourite film of 2014 so far. If you liked In Bruges or The Guard or even Seven Psychopaths, see this film. It's darker than all three of those films and it's hard to watch at times but honestly, it's worth it.

A beautifully dark film, with lashings of black humour and some lovely one liners. Just make sure to laugh at the appropriate parts, some viewers in my cinema laughed at the opening line! (once/if you see it you'll understand) I hope audiences outside of the UK and Ireland can enjoy it. I implore you to see it. 9/10, a must see!

It's Irish, it's Catholic, it's memorable,

[JohnDeSando · 25 August 2014]

"It's just you have no integrity. That's the worst thing I could say about anybody." Father James Lavelle (Brendan Glesson)

Child abuse and the Catholic Church are synonymous these days, but the depiction of that global tragedy has been spotty until now. Calvary, a subtly powerful independent film starring Brendan Gleeson as Pastor James Lavelle in a small Irish town, has the horror of abuse mitigated by an Agatha Christie-like thriller premise, an effective distraction that allows us to ramble around meeting parishioners, one of whom is the man who vowed in the confessional he'd murder Fr. James in a week. That week turns out to be, as one critic describes it, a Stations-of-the- Cross endurance run.

The would-be assassin was abused as a child, carrying with him the bitterness of the experience and the murderous rage for revenge. Yet, Calvary is more than a quiet screed against the neglect of the Church; it is also about a hamlet that harbors miscreants in other abuses: Writer/director John Michael McDonagh (whose brother, Martin, helmed another Irish classic, In Bruges), assembles corrupt bankers, wife beaters, cynics, adulterers—I may have forgotten some sins, but you get the idea.

Father James deals with the sinners in a calm, knowing way that evidences a man who has lost enough in life to be empathetic, an effective counselor who tells it like it is. Helping relay the sense of isolation and majesty of the town are Mark Gerahty's moderately vivid interiors and cinematographer Larry Smith's grand exteriors with the right mixture of ominous bluffs and lush countryside.

This naturalism is not to say that Fr. James is a bad or weak man—it's a backdrop that highlights his essential innocence, almost to naiveté. At least he is good, compared to the sinning priests who people our headlines today. He also reflects the growing awareness in all of us Catholics that the Church is in part corrupt.

Fr. James' faith is tested, as is ours, when he experiences his effect on the parishioners he visits in maybe his last week. All are not your standard sinners, however, for his altar boy, Michael (Micheal Og Lane) evidences an understanding of life's ironies better than most adults. The scenes between Michael and Fr. James are some of the best because of the quick-witted repartee reminiscent of screwball comedy.

Yes, Calvary, rooted in Christ's sacrifice, can be humorous, and depending on your sense of humor, hilarious.

The Good Priest

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 30 May 2015]

In a Sunday morning in a small town in Ireland, a parishioner confesses to Father James (Brendan Gleeson) the sexual abuse he was submitted by a priest when he was a child. He tells that he will kill James, who is a good priest, at the beach on the next Sunday instead of a bad priest to disturb the Church. Along the week, Father James has to deal with his troubled and estranged daughter Fiona Lavelle (Kelly Reilly) that tried to commit suicide; with the disturbed butcher Jack Brennan (Chris O'Dowd) that hit his unfaithful wife Veronica (Orla O'Rourke); with her aggressive lover Simon (Isaach De Bankolé); with an old writer (M. Emmet Walsh) that needs attention; with the cynical and atheist Dr. Frank Harte (Aidan Gillen); with the problematic and spiritually empty millionaire Michael Fitzgerald (Dylan Moran) that wants to donate money to the church. Meanwhile his church is burnt to the ground and Father James gets a gun from the local chief of police; then he decides to travel to Dublin. What will be Father James's final decision?

"Calvary" is a powerful Irish drama about the polemic theme relative to the child abuse by Catholic priests and the effects in the victim. The story follows the journey of the good priest James along the week after the threatening during the confession. There are two points that deserved a better development in the story. How Father James did not recognize the voice of the killer? Why did he shoot the bar in an attitude not consistent with his behavior? Brendan Gleeson has one of his best performances in the role of the priest. The scene with the chief of the police shows why the Catholic Ireland has recently approved the referendum of the same-sex marriage. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Calvário" ("Calvary")

Never wanted to see a movie again, minutes after I watched it!

[adination_p · 10/10 · 10 June 2014]

My expectations for this movie were medium, I saw the cast had a lot of great comedians, so I thought there would at least be a few laughs. Instead, I was surprised to see a very powerful and touching movie, absolutely great script, never a doll moment, funny comebacks, terrifyingly creepy monologues and Brendan Gleeson. Hats off to this wonderful, talented actor! I was completely sold on his interpretation of an intellectual, yet devoted priest. And also, I found it very refreshing that the character was written as sincerely religious but not bigoted. I strongly recommend you go see this movie and I can't wait to see it again!

Calvary is a well-made, entertaining and introspective piece of art.

[MichaelM259 · 7/10 · 3 August 2014]

Calvary is a movie about difficult people living difficult lives. It's also about good people and bad people and how that distinction doesn't really exist. It starts out with an intriguing premise and some fun characters. It ends with a crush of emotion. It's sometimes funny, but mostly it's very dark. It's hard to stop thinking about after you've watched it. It's the second feature film John Michael McDonagh has directed and the third he's written. It's in theaters now and it's most definitely worth seeing.

Set in rural Ireland, the film begins when a priest named Father James (Brendan Gleeson) is told in confession by an anonymous man that he will be murdered one week from Sunday. The man tells the priest that he was viciously abused for many years by a since-deceased man of the cloth and that he aims to make a public statement by killing the innocent Father James. Over the next hundred minutes or so, we follow the marked priest in what could potentially be his final days as he goes about his typical clerical duties amongst the members of his congregation, any of whom could be his assailant. Through Father James' eyes, we're introduced to many of his flock in what amounts to a veritable laundry list of deadly sins: a wealth-crazed banker; an atheist physician; a jailed serial killer; an apathetic fellow priest; a prostitute and his client; a wifebeater, his adulteress wife and her lover. Worst of all, none of these people seem to feel any remorse for their crimes (although the banker does admit to a "modicum" of guilt for Ireland's recent financial crisis). On top of it all, Father James' daughter—who's been estranged since her mother's death and her father's holy vocation— has returned home following a post-breakup suicide attempt. As the week marches on and bloody Sunday gets closer and closer, Father James must handle the problems in his parish, try to mend his relationship with his daughter, and decide what to do about his tormentor when the time finally arrives.

This all may sound unmercifully grim, but whenever the film begins to feel anchored down by all its melancholy the story untethers itself through witty writing, Gleeson's always-charming deadpan dark humor, an ethereal symphonic soundtrack, and startlingly beautiful panoramic shots of the washed-out Irish coastline. Gleeson's also supported by a stellar ensemble including the increasingly serious Chris O'Dowd, a powerful Kelly Reilly, and the delightfully sinister Aidan Gillen, whose nihilist doctor is something akin to Game of Thrones' Lord Baelish with a medical degree. Without such a talented cast it's unlikely the script's heavy material could have been so delicately portrayed as it is in its current version.

Apart from its stunning cinematography and superb acting, there is also beauty in Calvary's story and message. To classify it as a whodunit is a misnomer, nor is it a "religious" movie: this is a film about living and dying that is grounded in humanism. Without a doubt, the creative, murder-driven plot gives the narrative a solid framework, but the impending confrontation is always on the backburner. Within the first five minutes we know that the movie starts in a church and will end on a beach, but McDonagh's focus is on exposing the complexities and nuance of being a flawed person in a tough world. No one—not even a priest—is virtuous all the time, and people sometimes do bad things for what might be perfectly justifiable reasons, if we only took the time to learn about them.

What truly sets Calvary apart is how it skillfully builds audience empathy for its characters through very brief interactions. And the fact that most of these people are deplorable human beings compounds the film's impressive achievement. For example, McDonagh actually makes us pity the eventually penitent banker whose wife and kids ran off on him. In a more extreme instance, we can't help but wonder along with a deranged murderous cannibal who asks Father James why God made him the way he is. McDonagh pinpoints the underlying emotional dynamics that fuel bad decisions, many of which we all can relate to at least at one point in our lives: feeling detached from other people, being frustrated with the opposite sex, becoming disillusioned with life, refusing to let go of past resentment, etc. It's a complex view of the world that grays the lines between being evil and doing evil things as a result of forces out of one's control.

But for all the bad on display, McDonagh also shows us lots of good: an elderly writer gracefully embracing his mortality, Father James' reconciliation with his daughter, and the unshakeable fortitude of people who truly have faith in something. In an unexpectedly emotional encounter with a French woman who just lost her husband in a car accident, Father James counsels the woman against renouncing God because of her unfair ordeal. She explains to him that there's nothing unfair about losing her husband because of the many years of happiness she shared with him; what's unfair is that there are people in the world who never get to experience that kind of love. It's one of a handful of demonstrably powerful scenes in the film that splice a much-needed tenor of hope into the otherwise dismal atmosphere.

Calvary is a well-made, entertaining and introspective piece of art. At times dense and hopelessly somber, it's a movie with a moral argument and biblical overtones that accomplishes what it set out to do. Like last year's Prisoners, Calvary more than anything ponders the idea of forgiveness, particularly of "those that trespass against us." The final minutes of the film are a fitting manifestation of this principle that leaves the audience with a lot to think about.

Best so far in 2014

[Eamonn-donaghy · 10/10 · 12 April 2014]

Having seen all the Oscar nominees in early 2014, I would have to say this is better than any of them. It might be a controversial thing to say to all the film techies who get very involved in analysing dialogue and the like but as a snap shot of Ireland in 2014, it's hard to think of how this movie could be bettered. Morally bankrupt, cynical, howling at the moon and everyone looking to blame someone else for their woes. And of course sitting right in the middle of this is the Catholic Church and all the scandals it was involved with. However rather than making the centre character the inevitable bad guy, we get a real man who has lived life, knows pain, has flaws but is a shining light of integrity, morality and compassion. Brendan Glesson is fabulous in his portrayal of Fr James who is asked to make the ultimate sacrifice as the good man laying down his life for the sins of others. The rest of the cast are also excellent and whilst it is a tad unrealistic that so many odd balls and "characters' all live in one small town, it is clear that they are representative of the vast array of disaffected folk living in Ireland today. The reference to Fr James' fellow priest having the character of an insurance company accountant was however a little to close for comfort! All in all a great movie of its time with strong performances and a great story. Irish film at its very best. Well done to everyone involved.

Interesting, and very disturbing film. I found it one to admire the sentiment of rather than enjoy.

[rdolan9007 · 7/10 · 17 February 2018]

I am trying hard to think why this film fails to be a great film, at least in my eyes. It seems to have the qualifications. It has a great cast, a powerful story, good direction and good pacing, and yet I feel strangely unenthusiastic about it. I am still unconvinced why it failed to make me like it more. I have only just watched it (half an hour ago) so maybe I am writing this review a little to soon to really guess at the answer to the above.

Perhaps its the lack of subtlety in the film, which puts me off engaging with the characters. Maybe it is the strange lack of menace I had about the priest's (Brendan Gleeson) ultimate and very bloody fate. The acting by the way is fine throughout from most of the participants, except for a couple of the peripheal characters, which I found rather too quirky.

Kelly Reilly however is very good as the priest's daughter, recovering from a suicide attempt; attempting to reconnect with her father. Chris O'Down is excellent at priest's unwarranted nemesis. Dylan Moran is good as he can be as an unsubtle and unsympathetic wealthy landowner.

The beginning of the film does deliberately shock, where in confession an unseen and until the end unknown antagonist Chris O'Dowd, gives incredibly graphic detail about the sexual abuse he received, to the priest. I think this shocking start perhaps unbalances the film, and although the film does very well to live up to that start, it perhaps tries to hard throughout to keep that level of shock up.

The ending however is genuinely gruesome, and deliberately provocative. I think it is there to try and make us reflect as society on the' indifference' people might have had to sexual abuse. The film overall also seems to make a point about how cynicism, greed and indifference allowed child abuse, by some of the priesthood in Ireland, to happen unhindered.

I did find the ending moving especially when the daughter of the priest visits Chris O'Dowd in prison, presumably to accept his forgiveness. I do wish I liked this film more. It is brave, it is ambitious, and there is a who's who of Irish acting talent on display. Perhaps this film is just too pessimistic even allowing for the dark subject matter. You either have to like the characters, or its overall message, when a film is bleak in outlook. There are some lighter moments in the film especially with a fellow and incompetent priest, but there isn't much of it to go around in this film. Mind you the countryside is spectacularly brooding and beautiful. It is only a small compensation though to a well made but unfullfilling film.

The underrated virtue

[UncleTantra · 10/10 · 30 June 2014]

It is somehow appropriate that one of the best films I have seen since Martin McDonagh's "In Bruges" is by his brother, John Michael McDonagh. John showed promise with his film "The Guard," but with this film he takes his place in the pantheon of immortal Irish black humorist-philosophers alongside his brother.

What if you were a Catholic priest, and one of your flock told you during confession that he was going to kill you in a week? Not because you were a bad priest, but because you were a good one. He means it, and you know he means it. He gives you the week to get your affairs in order.

And what if the priest were played by the same Irish national treasure who played the lead in both of the two other aforementioned films, Brendan Gleeson. What if his efforts were supported by the likes of Kelly Reilly, Chris O'Dowd, Aidan Gillen, M. Emmet Walsh and a host of great Irish/English actors? And what if the results were really, really, really good, verging on magnificent? Then you'd have "Calvary."

F**k being a priest.

[The_moan_of_all_moans · 7/10 · 16 April 2014]

Brendan Gleeson, for me, is an excellent actor; he always has such sincerity in his performances(with the exception of "Turbulence"). And like in "The Guard" it was great to see him as the lead role again.

The story is a very unique one and although the film is full of dark comedy and wit, there are genuine moments of travesty and turmoil that slip in here and there and give the film much more depth. Topics are touched upon that may not be greeted well amongst some people; but these topics where based on truth, so there should be no cause to complain.

Every actor brings something to the table with their characters. Brendan Gleeson is definitely the star of the show as Father James Lavelle, he delivers on so many levels; it's like acting just comes completely natural to him. Dylan Moran plays Michael in what is almost a tip of the hat to Dougal from "Father Ted". Chris O'Dowd is his usual quirky self as Jack, yet shows a lot more emotion than in any of his previous roles. Kelly Reilly who plays Father Leville's daughter Fiona, gels really well with Gleeson. One moment that was very sentimental was the scene between real life father and son. As in one scene Father Leville comes face to face with convicted serial killer Freddie Joyce (Domhnall Gleeson). Playing complete polar opposites it was a nice touch and i'm sure was a nice moment for both.

With all the events that happen in the period of the film, i think it gives a great insight to what life as a priest may be like. The persistent problems to which people seek the answer from you. The grief you may take, the accusations, the expectation. The dedication and restraint is commendable. Is it my cup of tea? No. Not in a billion years, but i'm an atheist, so wouldn't be much help.

A very good film which gives you plenty of comedy and its fair share of touching moments.

It's Gleeson who gives the performance of a lifetime as the priest.

[punch87 · 5/10 · 21 April 2019]

Calvary is infused with much the same wild-west-of-Ireland flavour, though this time the base note is a lament for a nation left rudderless having lost faith in economic prosperity and the Catholic church.

Beautifully Shot and Acted Film about Loneliness, Religion and Death

[l_rawjalaurence · 9/10 · 3 September 2014]

Set over a period of seven days (the time it took for God to create the world), CALVARY can be viewed on one level as a detective story, as we try to discover the identity of the man who vows to kill the Priest (Brendan Gleeson) in revenge for the man's abuse during his childhood by another member of the Catholic Church. There are two or three likely suspects, including rich dilettante Michael Fitzgerald (Dylan Moran), aggressive bartender Brendan Lynch (Pat Shortt), and a police inspector (Gary Lydon) with more than a passing disrespect for his fellow officers. At the end the person's identity is revealed in a climactic sequence taking place on a deserted beach.

At a deeper level, however, the film invites us to speculate on the nature of "good," and whether it has any place in today's overtly secular world. The Priest has taken up his vocation in later life, given up alcohol, and dedicates himself to helping members of the small Sligo community he inhabits. Some of its members actively solicit his advice, such as prisoner Freddie Joyce (played by Gleeson's real-life son Domhnall; others, such as butcher's wife Veronica (Orla O'Rourke) believe themselves to be irredeemable, and take a savage pleasure in telling the Priest. The Priest learns to take such criticisms on the chin, but the knowledge that he might be plowing a lonely moral furrow renders him an isolated person: even in the local bar (where he goes for company), he cuts a lonely figure, sitting on his own and largely ignored by his fellow-villagers.

Of perhaps more significance, however, is writer/ director John Michael McDonagh's handling of the relationship between the Priest and his daughter Fiona (Kelly Reilly). Initially it seems as if the Priest can handle Fiona's emotional difficulties, as he tries to help her negotiate a botched attempt at suicide. As the action unfolds, however, we understand that the Priest has himself been at least partially responsible for his daughter's problems; following his wife's death, he entered the Church without really considering the effect his decision might have on Fiona's future. The two forgive each other, but McDonough shoots the scene as a series of slow shot/ reverse shots, suggesting some kind of lingering alienation between the two. They subsequently communicate with one another by telephone only: the Priest stands on the beach while Fiona speaks from a Thameside café; neither of them really able to relate to one another.

While McDonagh makes several references to the seamier side of the Catholic Church - notably its history of child abuse - he is more interested in exploring how such incidents prejudice people's views. The Priest meets a young girl (Annabel Sweeney) and jokes with her as they both walk down a lonely country road; their conversation is interrupted by her furious father (Declan Conlon) who abuses the Priest and bundles the girl into his car. McDonagh tracks backwards, showing the girl imprisoned behind the car windows, while the Priest stares helplessly at her. Both are left isolated, the innocent victims of hearsay and rumor.

Beautifully shot in the wilds of Sligo in the Irish Republic, CALVARY is first and foremost a study in isolation; the customers standing waiting for something to happen in the bar; the lonely parishioner seeking counsel from the Priest in a deserted church; and the Priest and Fiona walking the beach and/or the rocky seaside landscapes. The film ends with a series of close-ups of landscape views, including a stone which according to local myth has the power to kill people. Perhaps the characters aren't as free to choose their destinies as they they think they are - especially members of the Church. God may direct them, but there could be other forces restricting their actions.

The film is an absolute gem - beautifully acted and photographed, with a soundtrack comprising a series of songs that underline the film's contrasting moods (I especially liked the choice of Roger Whittaker's "New World in the Morning," and Flanagan and Allen's wartime classic "Run, Rabbit Run."

Brilliant Film - mixture of hilarious lines in a very dark story

[Seamus06 · 9/10 · 25 January 2014]

Watched this at Sundance Festival. Brilliant film. Some of the dialog is a bit lost on US audience but still some hilarious lines. This is much darker than The Guard and In Bruges (I know it's a different writer/director) but very similar humor. But this has some very powerful scenes (particularly the one with the lady who loses her husband). It also tackles some serious questions on the church and priesthood after the scandals around the world; really makes you think about the plight of decent priests. Gleeson pulls off the part of innocent priest paying for the sins of others excellently.

The music is amazing throughout. Also the scenery is incredible - made me miss home!

Excellent performances by Pat Short and Dylan Moran. Brendan Gleeson is just Brendan Gleeson, my favorite Irish actor (after Daniel Day Lewis of course)

This is well worth seeing. If your a fan of the McDonaghs stuff you'll love this. And what a great ending!

Doesn't all work but it is interesting and engaging in its community of souls with a strong Gleeson at the centre

[bob the moo · 23 December 2014]

This film was generally very well received by critics at the time of release and as the end of the year approaches it is turning up on quite a few of the "best of" lists too. Whether it warrants this is in the eye of the beholder, but I would say that such things probably do not help the film a great deal because it is not a film so universal that the vast majority of viewers will get what they expect when they only see the high praise; okay this is not the film's fault but I think there is something to be said for putting all that to one side before coming to the film.

The plot sees Catholic priest Father James in a country parish be confronted in confession by a man who says he was sexually abused throughout his childhood by a priest, and that as a result he would take revenge by killing Father James a week from today on the beach. As the week ticks on, Father James interacts with troubled and troubling members of his community, unsure himself of what will happen on the appointed day. Within this basic frame, the "who is it and what will happen" question is part of the driver for events, but perhaps not as much as you may expect. Instead what we get are characters of different types, coming and going and interacting with Father James in scenes with lots of talking and crafted dialogue. This makes for a rather uneven and perhaps frustrating film, because it does come over a little unfocused and meandering at times.

For the most part I thought it just about worked, with the dialogue and those delivering it making it work, while in the background the weather and landscape of the Irish coast also played their part in the tone of the film. At times it is too clearly "written" and you can see it in the performances here and there, where the actors are really on rails and cannot do much but repeat the words (albeit well crafted words). The thoughtful air to the film was engaging to me, but at the same time it is often very broad and a bit too aware of itself, also occasionally being a bit jarring as it doesn't sit within its own self particularly well; but mostly, as I say, I did find it engaging. The cast is crowded with familiar faces from the very famous ones through to the less well know (I was surprised I recognized Shortt from Father Ted as instantly as I did). Everyone is of a high standard – but it is Gleeson's film and even when the tone maybe wobbles under its own weight, he is there to give it the breadth and stability of his presence and performance.

Calvary is not as good as everyone says, however it is still an interesting film for all its flaws and indulgences. Beautifully shot and run through with a contemplative tone and engaging performances, it engages for what it does and how it delivers it, even if those same things are occasionally frustrating and unsuccessful at the same time.

A treat

[cinematic_aficionado · 7/10 · 25 April 2014]

A priest receives a death threat and is given a week to live. This occurs during confession and the proposing killer even invites him to a specific time and location where the killing is to take place. What makes this more absurd is the fact that this is a good priest of high moral standing who serves the entire community with integrity. He decided to not notify the authorities and goes about his final week.

From that moment on, we are exposed to this priest's reality. On the one hand he encourages his 'flock' to not give in to desires and show restraint but the more he gets to know them he realises that they are just "people". Greedy, promiscuous, deceivers who are not only unrepentant but they test him at every conceivable opportunity.

The greatest part of this film is its powerful subtlety. The story unfolds like a window that opens slowly and two worlds (spiritual and material) collide. Days pass, death comes decisively nearer, what is he to do?

Without giving anything away, I will just say don't miss this treat of a film.

An Irish High Noon

[ferguson-6 · 8/10 · 2 August 2014]

Greetings again from the darkness. Writer/director John Michael McDonagh and actor Brendon Gleeson re-team (The Guard, 2011) in what can be viewed as one giant leap for both filmmaker and actor. Mr. McDonagh is immensely talented and seems to be a natural at keeping his viewers unsure of what's coming.

Set and filmed in a western Irish coastal town, the film has a most unusual first scene, including an acknowledgment of such as the priest (Gleeson) says "Certainly a startling opening line". This occurs in the confessional with an extreme close-up as the unseen (by us) parishioner then says "I'm going to kill you Father". With Sunday week as the promised deadline, the movie follows the Priest with a placard for each day, as he makes his way through the maze of local town characters. He also receives a visit from his daughter (Kelly Reilly), fresh off a suicide attempt (he was married prior to joining the priesthood).

The film bounces from very dark humor to extreme philosophical and theological discussions between the town folks and the priest. We quickly learn what a good man he is, and struggle to understand why the locals flash such vitriol his way. The Catholic Church, and all that implies these days, certainly plays a key role, but more than that, this is about the make-up and character of people.

This is not the place to go into detail about the story, as the film is best unwrapped and interpreted by each viewer. What can be said is that this is exceptional filmmaking: it's well directed, beautifully photographed, superbly acted, has a terrific script, and encourages much discussion.

A good movie packed with symbolisms and material for discussion

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 15 November 2014]

Before I say anything about the quality or plot of this film, let me start by saying that I watched it with the original voices of the actors and German subtitles. That is also how I came across the German title "Am Sonntag bist du tot" ("Sunday you will be dead"). Another really embarrassing choice of title. The original is named after the hill where Jesus Christ was crucified and for the German title they pick something that sounds like a trashy horror movie. What a shame.

Anyway, back to the actual movie. If you are familiar with Brendan Gleeson, you will know that pretty much all other aspects of a film have to suck in order to make it a bad film. He just carries everything he is in. Same goes for this one. The awards attention outside of Ireland may not be that big, but he still gives one of the best 2014 performances I have seen. The McDonagh brothers are right now possibly the most interesting film makers from Ireland and if you have seen any of their earlier work (which also features Gleeson prominently), you know that their dialogs are as rough as their action. In other, words, there is lots of violence in here. Don't watch it if you're easily offended.

What I liked pretty much about the whole film is that you could have a guess until the very end who is the one that threaten's the priest's life. I don't know if you could recognize the voice or if they took another voice in order to make it not too easy, but I had no idea who it was until they showed it. Another pro is that, now that you know who it was, the film does not lose all its appeal for a rewatch, but gains immense rewatch potential as you can see the scenes with the priest and the culprit in a totally different light possibly (such as the slaughterhouse love making reference). And you can ask yourself the question if the one did know that the priest knew where he was. McDonagh did not make it easy to guess. There are scenes where the priest puts a gun to the head of somebody else. Or you could try to find out what you think actually happened to the dog. Or ask yourself if the priest's actions in the pub for example were intentional as the culprit early on says he wants to kill a good priest. Was it some kind of protection or was the priest simply unable to cope with his dog's death and the whole situation in general? And what was the exact purpose of the gun? What about the daughter seeing the killer at the very end? (a scene I could have done without, I'd have preferred the film to end simultaneously with the priest's life) You could probably make an own movie or write a book analyzing everything portrayed in here.

However, I would say that this film could have worked equally well without all the murder threat up in the air, simply showing the life of the priest, how he tries to reconnect with his daughter, how he meets the townsfolk, all pretty unique characters etc. (sometimes almost too extreme like the hustler). The murder plot added lots of drama, but it was not really the center of the film. However, we could have missed out on some nice scenes. I was not too big on the confession scene at the start, but the culprit walking up towards the priest near the end was nicely done. Great angle and camera work. What I could have done without was the rich guy randomly nearby as well. Just too much of a coincidence I guess and I wonder if McDonagh wanted the audience to wonder if he is the one. The talk between him and the priest was slightly pretentious too. The rich guy did not seem to be the character to be all whiny and devotional all of a sudden looking at his previous actions.

The daughter and the priest's apprentice did not add that much and the rekindling father-daughter relationship left me fairly unattached I have to say. I did like the bartender, the doctor and the policeman though. Can't nail them all I guess. The film had many nice quotes. One of my favorites was that people talk too much about sins and not enough about virtues. The explanation about why we cry for our dead pets, but not for boys abused by priests gave me goosebumps as well (detachment vs. attachment). Nicely done. Finally, the film plays in a village near the Irish coast, so of course it is also a visual feast.

A serious drama with some funny moments

[FionnyAnseo · 8/10 · 22 April 2014]

This movie is NOT I repeat NOT a comedy, it is a drama addressing serious issues from Ireland's past that happens to have some dark comedy moments.

It is well written, directed and acted and draws you into the little community in Sligo. As usual Brendan Gleeson proves he is one of the finest Irish actors around playing the likable priest who realises the worlds problems are real.

The end of the movie will leave you thinking and in all likelihood the cinema will be in silence and that is a sign of what this film has achieved... a contemplative piece forcing us to think on our past and how we treat.

8/10

The movie shook me

[olcayozfirat · 7/10 · 22 November 2022]

It's an extremely dramatic film that was made in 2014 that deeply affected me. The acting is magnificent. Brendan Gleeson impressed me. In the film, a confessor tells the father of a small town that he will commit a resounding murder and will kill the father a week later. The Father does not see the person, and his mood changes from day to day. He can't decide what to do. On the other hand, he realizes that he doesn't really know the people he thought he knew in the town. He questions his own life.

I fell in love with the song Subo by Los Chiriguanos, made in 1968, played during the casting after the end of the movie. Also, Patrick Cassidy's song Say Your Prayers, played in the finale, is still impressive.

The music is good, the acting is good and the subject is interesting. What else?

There are scenes of sexuality and nudity in the movie.

Moving Allegory

[TheExpatriate700 · 9/10 · 17 August 2014]

Calvary is the best current movie I've seen so far this year. It features an excellent performance from Brendan Gleeson as well as an involving, if off kilter, plot. The plot follows a priest who receives a death threat in the confessional and his struggle with how to respond, as well as with the foibles of his parishioners.

The primary strength of the film is Brendan Gleeson's performance. I've been a fan of Gleeson since his performance in 28 Days Later, and this film gives him the opportunity to show his full potential as an actor. Kelly Reilly also does well as his daughter, while Aidan Gillen has a memorable turn as a cynical doctor.

Calvary also benefits from good direction by John Michael McDonagh. Aside from keeping the story moving along, and adding a dash of humor in the first half, McDonagh leavens the film with beautiful footage of the Irish countryside. His only misstep is the inclusion is an unnecessary montage following the climax. However, this is too minor to merit real criticism.

The film should be understood as an allegory, rather than a thriller, as its plot might initially suggest, or a realistic story. While Gleeson's character represents a decent man struggling with adversity and his own flaws, the various people he encounters represent various sins and occasionally virtues. For example, a corrupt financier represents greed, Gleeson's fellow priest represents complacency, etc. In many respects, the film is a modern version of a medieval allegory such as Everyman.

Although it has strong Catholic themes, the pious should be warned that the film is very adult in its approach, something it makes clear with the first line of dialogue. Such content should not blind mature believers to the depth and sincerity of its religious message though. Indeed, now classic Catholic writer Graham Greene nearly found some of his books placed on the Index of Forbidden Books because of their adult content. Sometimes you must wade through the darkness in order to get to the light.

Great Watch! 7/10

[leonblackwood · 7/10 · 16 August 2014]

Review: I really enjoyed this movie. The different characters who a have there own interpretations of faith, made the movie really interesting and a joy to watch. The storyline was brilliant and it really shows that you don't need a big budget a loads of action to make a great movie. The priest, played by Brian Gleeson, was pure and showed that, under any circumstances, you always have to have forgiveness, no matter what the person has done. From being there for his daughter, who had a suicidal nature, to seeing a murderer in jail, who obviously had psychological problems, I really didn't know what direction the movie was going to take. With the addition of a murder mystery, the director really put the movie together well and all of the performances were A Class. A Must Watch!

Round-Up: Brian Gleeson has really come to light in the latter part of his career. From movies like Troy, Edge Of Tomorrow and Safe House, just to name a few, he is obviously a first choice for many directors. It's good to see that he also stars in low budget movies and that he stays grounded by contributing to Irish cinema. Chris O'Dowd was a weird choice for his role because he usually plays comedic parts in movies, but he did play his part well, even though he was sharing his wife. There are some familiar faces throughout the movie who all put in emotional and intense performances. It's just a shame that this movie just broke even because it deserved much more. 

Budget: $8million Worldwide Gross: $8million

I recommend this movie to people who are into there intense, mysterious, comedic dramas about a priest who has a week to live and goes around his village helping fellow church goers. 7/10

Truly stunning

[IliasManos · 5/10 · 18 August 2014]

By far the best film I've watched the last quadrennia. I really do not know where to begin describing this film, an absolute revelation. Most of the basic categories are at least very good to say, with a good soundtrack, exceptional photography, dialogue, monologues, plot pace, performances and finally; direction.

I'll start with the trailer. A promotion that gives us only the necessary to get only one idea (the basic) of what is the film about and nothing more than that, and at no point gives away all the plot as most Hollywood trailers do. To the film; this director literally screws you down on your seat from minute one. And then, I got to watch the most harmonically stoic storyline unwind calmly, with a great deal of realism, stoicism, humour and wit, this director manages to keep the viewer interested with a very, very simple plot. No hysteria, no stress, no agony, no explosions, no unnecessary nudity, yet and while it is calm; we have a wee healthy suspense on who might be the antagonist, and at the same time McDonagh has got me to Ireland. The photography and the shots takes are simply breathtaking, while I got to see how an Irish town lives, their culture, their point of view. All the characters are "active" each one of them with his own personality, characteristics, personal drama, history and background, with an eye for the detail by the director and the script.

This film get's the viewer to think, to sympathise, to philosophise and genuinely smile with the disarming simplicity of reality.