Calvary - B

Unrated, 101 minutes

Dark, well-acted Irish dramedy "Calvary" deals with weighty subjects

The new Irish independent drama "Calvary" is dark, well-acted and thought-provoking, but also not for everyone. The provocative premise is handsomely photographed and sublimely executed against tragic circumstances. Irish priest James (Brendan Gleeson) is a good priest who is faced with sinister and troubling circumstances brought about by a mysterious member of his parish. Although he continues to comfort his own fragile daughter (Kelly Reilly) and reach out to help members of his church with their various scurrilous moral - and often comic - problems, he feels sinister and troubling forces closing in and is forced to courageously deal with his own looming Calvary. Directed and written by Irish filmmaker John Michael McDonagh, he and Gleeson, his star from his 2009 hilarious comedy "The Guard" reteam to bring a heavily weighted, dark film peppered with some funny moments, in an effort that manages to both condemn the Catholic Church yet embrace the very faith behind it. You have a sense of where it might tragically end up, but "Calvary" is often a fascinating look at both the fragility and peace that life can offer. Gleeson, a terrific character actor seen in varied roles from "The Guard" to a few of the "Harry Potter" movies, is a solid anchor for the film and his inspired performance is the film's chief highlight. "Calvary" doesn't work perfectly: it's a film that moves slowly and is filled with dialogue you must keep track of throughout the film, and the climax could've been better handled, but there's more that works than doesn't. As mentioned earlier, it's a darker film than you might expect and it's certainly not for everyone (it isn't graphic), but "Calvary" is a satisfying (though not entirely enjoyable) experience.

Wes's Grade: B