CALVARY

Ireland, 2014, 100 minutes, Colour.
Brendan Gleeson, Chris O’ Dowd, Kelly Reilly, Aidan Gillen, Isaach de Bankole, Dylan Moran, Marie- Josee Croze, M. Emmet Walsh, Orla O’ Rourke, Domnhall Gleeson, Pat Shortt,
Directed by John Michael Mc Donagh.

As can be seen from the title, this is a film rooted in the gospel story and in Catholic faith. It is one of the best films on priests in recent years. It was written and directed by John Michael Mc Donagh, whose screenplay reveals quite detailed knowledge of the church in Ireland and which brings the plot to contemporary life – even though, one hopes, that the principal events of the film would not happen in real life.

A key film on the life of a parish priest was Robert Bresson’s version of the novel by Georges Bernanos, Diary of a Country Priest. Calvary is the diary of an Irish country priest of the 21st century. It can be noted that Brendan Gleeson gives a totally persuasive performance as the priest. And the setting is on the Irish Atlantic coast, 38 km from Sligo according to a road sign.

With the focus of the title, it is clear that this will be a film about suffering, or that the priest will be a significant Christ-figure, a victim of his own Calvary, an innocent victim, atoning for the sins of others.

This is made very clear from the opening sequence, the priest sitting in the confessional, a man coming into the box and declaring that he has been a victim of a priest’s sexual abuse, that it happened over many years, that it has ruined his life. And then he makes a threat that he will kill this priest on the following Sunday, not because he is a guilty man, but because he is innocent and that will make his death more significant.

Since the initial theme is that of clerical sexual abuse, Calvary has to be seen in the context of the revelations of recent decades, of the government enquiry, of sentences for guilty clergy, and the criticism of church officials for not understanding the crisis and for not acting on it well. This gives a powerful framework for this week in the life of the parish priest, considering what he has been told, preparing for his possible death. The accuser could be anyone in the village, although the priest has recognised his voice.

While this is the framework, the rest of the film shows the priest going about his ordinary ministry in this parish. He is a late vocation, a widower who decided on priesthood after his wife’s death. We are introduced to his daughter, who has attempted suicide, but has come to visit her father and talk things over with him. Which means he is a priest of some life experience, of family life, even though he reflects that he was something of a failure – and a drinker.

The action of the film is basically the priest visiting different people in the parish, a woman who does his washing, is separated from her husband, the local butcher, and is having an affair with the local garage man. She is not averse to other relationships, especially to the atheist and mocking doctor in the local hospital. But, as with the other characters, she is able to speak frankly to the priest and he is able to speak frankly with her. It is the same with her husband, the butcher. There is a young man in the village, rather prim and proper, awkward in his manner, who comes to the priest to discuss his ambitions, his personality, his sexual problems, his future. Other people he visits include the man from the garage, the local policeman and his rather exhibitionist son, a local landowner who is alienated from his family, drinks a great deal, and confesses that he cares for nothing and no one. On the lighter side, there is an old American author who welcomes the priest, getting food from him, but wanting a gun just in case he gets ill and needs to leave this world.

A significant accident occurs with the death of a foreign visitor. The priest anoints the dead man, comforts his widow, encounters her at the airport when he is inclined to leave the village and avoid his imminent death. It is the words of the widow as well as his watching two workers slouching over the dead man’s coffin, that indicate that he should go back face to face what will come.

The priest is very fond of his pet dog and is devastated when he finds the dog’s throat slit. And this follows his church being burnt down by the accuser. It is clear that the priest is moving towards Calvary. In moments of agony, he takes to drinking, returning alone to his spartan room.

This statement will not reveal who the would-be killer is or whether he goes through with his threats or not – it is the priest’s preparation and readiness which is more important than what might happen. However, one significant question for the priest is whether he wept at his dog’s death – and whether he wept at the plight of the victims of sex abuse. A key question for the church, hierarchy and laity.

John Michael McDonagh? does have a key idea, revealed early in the film, when his daughter asks the priest about virtues. He replies that forgiveness has been underrated – something which pervades the ending of the film.

Calvary is well worth seeing, the story of a priest and his own agony and Calvary in a contemporary situation, showing contemporary problems, illustrating the response of contemporary parishioners and non-believers. The writer-director has intelligently combined problems with a portrait of a genuine, if struggling, 21st-century parish priest.


1. The title? Expectations? Jesus’ passion, suffering, death? The focus on Jesus? The priest as paralleling Jesus, a Christ figure?

2. Ireland, the 21st century, traditions of the Catholic Church, faith? The church and change? The priest as reference in the town, the parish? the changes from the Second Vatican Council, more involvement of the laity? The sexual abuse issues, victims, the innocent, the guilty priests? The sentences? The priests who are not charged, who die beforehand? People’s angers, the victims, lives destroyed, vengeance and retaliation?

3. The tradition of the Diary of Country Priest, in contemporary Ireland, the role of the priest, the past, control, authoritarian? The role of the bishops? The parish priests, their assistance? Communication and information, the influence of the clergy? The fewer priests, those who were safe, those who wanted change? The issue of late vocations and experience of older priests?

4. The Irish coast, the town 38 km from Sligo? The church, homes, butcher shop, pubs? The sea? The musical score?

5. The key issue: sexual abuse of minors, the processes in the Irish courts, government reports? The victims, young? Getting older, their lives spoilt? Inadequacy in relationships? Violence? The emotional scars? The courts and the opening up of information? Guilty priests? The idea of the film that the victim should kill a good priest, that this priest expiate the sins of others? Atonement, an innocent like Jesus dying?

6. The opening with the confession, James sitting in the confessional, listening, the initial quip, his apology? The threat to his life, vindictive expressions of anger, threat, targeting the priest, to be killed the following Sunday?

7. The structure, the naming of the days of the week, the tension, preparation for death, defending himself, the man threatening, consultation with the Bishop, Fiona’s visit, talking with the police?

8. James, audience interest in in him, liking him as a character, as a priest? Traditional in some ways, wearing the soutane and being asked about at this? Communion on the tongue? His work in the confessional, close-ups of him, words, responses? The psychological edge the psychological effect of the week, his own spirituality, preparation the death?

9. His church ministry, the confessional, celebrating Mass?

10. His room, spartan, his love for Bruno? With the dog, his grief when his dog was killed?

11. Fiona, the arrival, discovering that she was James’s daughter? Her attempted suicide, slitting her wrists the wrong way? The death of her mother? Her father, the past, his drinking, becoming a priest? Her missing both parents?

12. James and his talks Fiona, of love, sin, the importance of forgiveness, the meals, walking, her leaving, his affection for her? Her appearance in his dreams? His telling her that forgiveness was underestimated?

13. The revelation that James was married, his experience of marriage, parenting? Wisdom? His failures, drinking?

14. The encounter with Veronica, the washing, the sunglasses, the violence towards her, her sexual innuendo? Her relationship with Jack, the separation? Her relationship with Isaac, her other affairs? The doctor? The drugs and cocaine? At the dance? Sardonic? Her communicating with James?

15. Jack, the butcher, his work, the talk in the freezer, Veronica and his hitting her, his attitudes, cynicism? His friends? In the bar, playing chess? The dance? His interactions with James?

16. The lover repairing the cars, James talking with him, his affairs, his not wanting a sermon, at the bar?

17. The American author, in his house, the writing, James bringing him food, his eccentricities, wanting the gun, not wanting to stay around when he was old and ill? Meeting James on the Sunday, waiting for him, finishing his book?

18. Milo, proper, his tie and the dots, awkward, self-confidence or not? His wanting advice of James? Sexuality issues, reading, pornography, his inability to relate, his hopes?

19. James going to the prison, the prisoner in jail because of rapes, talking, the reaction of the prisoner, people objecting to James visiting prisoners?

20. The accident, the drunken young people, the International victim, James anointing him? Consoling the widow? Meeting her at the airport? Her gratitude towards him? Going forward in life? Influencing him not to leave the parish?

21. The visit to the hospital, the doctor, his atheistic attitudes, mockery and cynicism? In the bar, at the dance, the cocaine?

22. Fitzgerald, his wealth, the family estate, his separation from his family, the home? His drinking? Talking with James? James’s visit, the painting, his urinating on it? His apology? Caring nothing? Wanting to make a donation, the curate and his eagerness, wanting to give Fitzgerald a drink, James and upping the donation because Fitzgerald did not care? Meeting James on the cliff, making the appointment?

23. The boy, serving, fiddling with the wine, painting, his being on the beach at the end, the danger, the gun?

24. The assistant priest, his vocation, being proper, his clothes, in the church, vapid, chatting? Not effective in his ministry? The dance, his being his being pushed over? Feeling despised? The issue of the donation, his eagerness, offering the drink? James and his outburst against him, saying he was little more than an accountant? His being hurt, the decision to go, questioning his faith, questioning his vocation, later seen reading?

25. The church burning, Jack and his responsibility?

26. James finding Bruno, his throat slit, Jack saying he did not do it?

27. The bar, the drinkers, James and his grief about Bruno, his fears, his drinking, staying in the bar, being ousted? Going to his room, exhausted?

28. Talking with the police, the exhibitionist young man, the various cases?

29. Going to the airport, seeing the woman, seeing the coffin and the men leaning on it, his going home? To death?

30. Sunday, his being ready, walking down the street, meeting the author, meeting Fitzgerald, the cliff? Going to the beach, meeting Jack, the boy and his painting, talking with Jack, his expressions of anger? The shooting? Jack asking – whether he wept at Bruno’s death and his saying he did? Not weeping at the victims of sexual abuse? James shot?

31. Fiona, going to the prison, no words but the look on her face, forgiveness being underrated?

32. The finale for the characters in the film, and what they were doing at the time that James was killed?

33. Contemporary portrait of a parish priest, in the contemporary, troubled church?