Calvary (2014)

Drama

Director: John Michael McDonagh
Writer: John Michael McDonagh
Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Chris O'Dowd, Kelly Reilly, Aidan Gillen

"Killing a priest on a Sunday."

Calvary's Priest is a good man who wishes to improve the world. He is constantly shocked and distressed by the hatred and conflict-seeking inhabitants of his small village in Ireland.

One day, his life is threatened during the confessional. Initially he chooses to ignore the altercation, and continues to carry on his pastoral duties, doing his best in helping out his parishioners, even though he also has a fragile daughter to contend with, and also a fellow priest who can also get by as an atheist for all the devotion he has to his calling.
Not before long, the malevolent and disturbing hidden tempers he has tried so hard to ignore start to surface, and as the evil forces close up on him, he starts questioning if he will have what it takes to face his own personal Calvary.

An appealing story about trust and uncertainties, with Brendan Gleeson as the Priest.
John Michael McDonagh also directed The Guard, once again with Brendan Gleeson in the lead.

Plot summary from IMDb: Father James is a small-town priest in Ireland whose Sunday confessionals suddenly include a threat to kill him in a week's time as a matter of principle. Deeply troubled and conflicted about how to respond, Father James tries to go on with his calling through that week. However, that proves impossible as he is confronted with a troubling variety of spiritual challenges from both his estranged daughter and his own parishioners. In those dispiriting struggles, Father James' life begins to fall apart as time runs out towards a confrontation that seems to crystallize his values and what he wants his life to be.

Awards: 9 wins & 21 nominations.
Runtime: 102 min
R