Some shafting in the rectory (Priest (DVD))

Member Name: bilbob20

Product:	Priest (DVD)
Date:	16/07/09 (40 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good acting, some of McGovern's best work

Disadvantages: Its a bit too drab and there are too little sympathetic characters

Jimmy McGovern is one of Britains most established directors, having cut his teeth on Brookside during its glory years. Since then, he has gone on to create such classics as tv's Cracker, Hillsborough and my personal favourite The Street (making its return last week for a third series). However, back in 1994, he created something equally as challenging as his other material, yet tackling something entirely more sensitive than his usual work.

Father Greg Pylkington arrives at a run-down but faithful parish in Liverpool, bringing with him an arrogance and set of ideals that soon rubs a fellow priest up the wrong way. On the surface, he is confident and self-assured, but beneath that lies a man who is confused about himself and his beliefs. As he struggles with his sexual urges, he finds himself drawn to Graham, a man he meets at a local gaybar, and finds himself embarking on a forbidden relationship. Greg's stature as a priest is unknown to Graham, who quickly falls in love only to find out too late who it is that he has fallen in love with.

Where things start to unravel for Greg is when he becomes involved with an abused girl whose father is having intercourse with her. Unable to accept that the abuse is that of god's will, he is desperate to find a way to relieve the girl from her tormentor. However, things spiral out of control when Greg is caught with his trousers down and has to face the consequences of his recent actions, as well as his denouement at the hands of the local community.

McGovern is not one to shy away from the issues of the working class. His material is often raw and confrontational, and Priest is no different. This time it takes on the hypocrisy of the catholic community as it shows the acceptance of one priest having a sexual relationship with a woman, and the scolding of another who is confused about his relationship with a man. McGovern isn't exactly subtle in some of the sequences, including one with the two leads getting sweaty and dirty. Not for the faint hearted, or for those of you who might be offended.

Linus Roache, who is the son of Mr Ken Barlow himself, is very good as the young man unravelling at his own confusion. We are treated to scene's of fury when he rages at god for allowing unspeakable horror's on innocent member's of society, whilst raging at his own lack of self belief. The final sequence see's him humbled at the contrast between absolute wickedness in one person and the undeserving kindness he is shown by another. Despite this being some of Jimmy McGovern's best work, the film belongs to Roache.

Elsewhere, Robert Carlisle mixes his performance up by playing to type whilst adding a much softer side to Graham. I'm not suggesting that gay men should be potrayed as big blouses, but I think its important to give this type of character something of a soft centre, especially when the actor playing him is so notoriously hard in his other works. Tom Wilkinson and Cathy Tyson are able in their roles as the tough talking priest and rectory cleaner who give Greg unlikely support, but Tyson is capable of giving more to her part.

There is a slight sombreness to proceedings as we see Greg turn up as a confident young priest with his dignity in tact and then see him fall apart as fate dishes out a cruel slap. Elsewhere, Liverpool is presented in exactly that one-note way that we've come to expect from McGovern and the likes. Everybody's a hypocrite and a criminal, even the priest's with their well meaning words of wisdom that seem hollow by the rolling of the credits. However, it is an effective piece of work that deserves credit for excellent performances and some edgey dialogue.

Summary: Priest is a well acted piece of work with a sympathetic lead