Tak, wiem, długo nie pisałam. Cóż.. studia:P Ale czasem i one się przydają, bo to dzięki nim mam nową notkę filmową - i to po angielsku^^
What
would you do if someone told you that he was going to kill you in a week?
Go and report it to the police, who should find and arrest that
person in order to prevent the crime? Or maybe, as seen in many
movies, make and try to realise your bucket list - things you have
never done and want to experience before death? Father James, the
hero of Calvary
made
by Irish director, John Michael McDonagh,
does none of this. Instead of, he chooses to shoulder the symbolic
cross of not his faults (he was clearly said he will be killed just
for the other priest's wrongdoings) and go with it. Just like Jesus
Christ over 2.000 years ago.
So
what father James is doing through the last week of his life are the same things he does usually as his parish's shepherd: he is just trying to help
the others to be a decent people. Which seems to be a Sisyphus work,
as his parishoners are not really interesting neither in his
'teachings' nor in 'his God'. They may be not exactly happy or
satisfied, but still prefer theirs convenient, focussed mostly
on their own needs, life to listening of some priest's advices
(implementing of which would take some effort from them). So father James seems
to be as lonely in his last days as Christ before his crucifiction.
And similary he also has his share of doubts in his 'mission'. Still, what makes him
even more human and worth of respect, after every fall he stands up
and go on. Why? Probably because he has this rare in today's times
quality - a true vocation. And it really helps he is played
(brillantly indeed) by Brendan Gleeson, whose look makes us almost
instantly sympathise with him. Yes, father James really believes in
God and want to see the goodness in the people. Not that he is so
naive to trust in all people are declaring to him. Nor he will accept
any money given for 'the Church' if he feels that motives behind this
decision are not sincere and no real repetence is present. So he has
also some demands and probably this
makes his work so frustrating.
Does this rather gloomy picture mean that his sacrifice will go down the drain? Not exactly. Father James deeply believes in the value of
forgiveness and the case of his killer-to-be shows us exemplary how
powerful weapon it can be. Deeply harmed as an innocent child, as an
adult still having this anger inside, the man evolves from a victim to an executioner. What can break this well known in psychology spiralic circle of violence is only the
forgiveness and this is a truly important and deeply catholic message
(awarded even with
an Ecumenic Jury Award at the Berlin Film Festiwal). Not easiest to
apply in own life, that is why watching
Calvary may be quite disturbing,
but it is definitely the movie worth seeing (and thinking of).
Irrespective of your faith status.
