A gritty well-done film, but you’ll need a drink. I walked away from 'Calvary' needing a stiff beverage. “A neat whiskey please. Make it a double.”
'Calvary' is a raw insight into a small Irish coastal town full of, well, fuck ups, and the local Father (played beautifully by Brendan Gleeson) attempting to hold the pieces together. When he is threatened with murder by one of his parish during confession (it’s the opening scene, so I’m really not giving anything away here), we are thrown into a preemptive whodunnit — suspecting every person in the town to have a motive.
Just like a single malt, this film isn’t for everyone. The themes are intentionally hard to stomach, with an added splash of violence and top notes of humor. It makes for one powerfully realistic drama. Director-writer John Michael McDonagh builds a compelling portrait of characters and village, and the film is filled with beautiful typical Irish scenes. You know the ones: pints of Guinness being guzzled, red hair blowing in wind, crashing waves, and some lovely accents. The cast is top notch, and Brendan Gleeson is phenomenal. Chris O’Dowd and Dylan Moran bring a bit of funny to the film, but portray far grittier characters than I expected. That said a personal highlight was watching Dylan Moran’s character piss on a priceless painting to prove a point. As the Irish say, it’s good craic. Or as I might say, “it's well entertaining.”
'Calvary' is challenging and gritty so if you’re into powerful film, this is for you. But bring a flask.
★★★ 1/2
