REVIEW: Calvary (2014)

I have always been a huge fan of dark comedy. In fact, two of my all-time favorite movies, Fargo (1996) and American Beauty (1999), fit into this genre. In keeping with this month’s “Irish” theme, the Cardinal Film Society’s first member's screening was writer/director John Michael McDonagh’s Calvary, and the film definitely did not disappoint the darker portion of my movie tastes.

The Cardinal Film Society (CFS) screening was actually the second time I had seen the film, and watching it this time was a lot more enjoyable than the first. I was able to pay better attention to the dialogue and interaction between characters because I knew what was going to happen throughout the movie.

Released in 2014, Calvary stars Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges, Braveheart) as Father James, a Catholic priest in a small Irish town. The film opens on a close-up of Father James in a confessional, where an unseen man tells him that another priest, who has since died, sexually abused him for years as a child. Because this man cannot seek revenge against his abuser, he announces to Father James that killing a “good priest” will have to do, and that he is planning to murder the Father the following Sunday, giving him time to get his affairs in order. The identity of the parishioner is well known to James, but remains a mystery to the viewer until the end of the film.

The Action of Liam Neeson

For Irish month on the CFS Blog, I thought I’d highlight one of my favorite, current action stars. His name is Liam Neeson and he has a very particular set of skills. The star of the popular Taken trilogy was born in Ballymena, Northern Ireland in 1952. He rose to critical success with his portrayal of Oskar Schindler in Schindler’s List (1993) and earned an Oscar nomination for his performance. In a world today of robot battles and old actors trying to relive their blockbuster days, it’s hard to find an action hero that people can really root for. Liam Neeson has been that actor for me. The thing that keeps me running to the theaters to see the next Neeson action movie is how he always plays a great character with his back against the wall. More often than not he is fighting for a loved one, so he gains our sympathy and impresses us with his amazing fighting skills. 

Taken (2008) did everything right. His daughter was kidnapped and his character, Brian Mills, would do anything to get her back. Neeson was able to balance being a concerned father and an ex-CIA agent. It definitely helped that the story line was fresh and fairly realistic.

Family & Religion in The Boondock Saints (1999)

 

It is obvious in various Irish movies that family and religion play a major role; some portion of those films inevitably revolve around one or both of those aspects. After recently watching Calvary (2014), an Irish film directed by John Michael McDonagh, I have found it executes both aspects, family and religion, like the motion pictures Waking Ned Devine (1998), Leap Year (2010), and The Boondock Saints (1999). 

The Boondock Saints, directed by Troy Duffy, is about the MacManus brothers, Connor (Sean Patrick Flanery) and Murphy (Norman Reedus, from The Walking Dead fame), who become vigilantes in Boston to rid the city of drug dealers and their crimes. The two brothers emphasis on pursuing justice through the murders they are committing is directly tied to their Irish Catholic religion. The religious element is evident in the way the brothers recite the “Family Prayer” which is, “And Shepherds we shall be For thee, my Lord, for thee. Power hath descended forth from Thy hand Our feet may swiftly carry out They commands. So we shall flow a river forth to Thee And teeming with souls shall it ever be. In Nomeni Patri Et Fili Spiritus Sancti.” The latter can be translated to “In the name of the father, of the son, and the Holy Spirit.” Every time this prayer is quoted in the movie, the MacManus brothers then murder one of their horrendous victims.