Very Cool!!!

Dreadfully Boring

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

Possible spoiler alert.I must say that I am not always moved by a movie. I watch, I move on. Not so with this movie. I became so interested, so wrapped up, so invested in the characters and story that when the ending came and it was not what I was hoping for I was literally moved to frustration. This movie did what a good movie does. It got you wrapped up in the story and the characters and led you on an emotional ride. I come from an island where homosexuality and the homosexual lifestyle is still a crime and punishable. Parts of this story resonated with me because I was told the exact same thing that the priest in the movie told the main character. This is a movie well worth seeing. All I can say is "Well done, well done"!

Cruel discussion. About faith, love and shadows of gestures. About sacrifice and its root. About silence as cage. It is a beautiful gray movie. Delicate as burnt paper. Bit as dust of cinnamon. Strange as a walk behind present. Story of a priest and his fake errors. A murder and life in prison. A love story. Silhouette of devil. And the punishment . A movie like melted lead. Few crumbs of Dostoievski, some drops from old British film, air from cold spaces of memory, game of a world. It is only a challenge. So, it is difficult to say if it is a good film, boring or mediocre. It is a picture. Bitter, salty, sour, with taste of gall.Nothing is alright. Every character - a broken doll. It is not a drama. Only a search. And a way without destination.

This film represents another departure from the norm in gay themed films. It is a tough love film with striking images and sequences that allow the viewer to fill in the elliptically presented representation of prison life versus Catholic ideology and the controversy surrounding the red hot issue of euthanasia. I won't pretend that I found it an easy watch because it isn't - what it is however is a cleverly constructed narrative that twists time with flashbacks and fantasy sequences that underpin the main thrust of the story. I was left after seeing this film with a greater understanding and sense of the pain of love that exists between gay men especially when coupled with the contemporary issues explored. It has probably not sat well with gay audiences because it is a film that is more than the usual gay fare. It has a strength of determination to it's approach that borrows with ease from well known films that are much loved and critical exemplars. Given that the budget was so low it is amazing what has been pulled off in this film. Some of the cast clearly were relying on intuition when it came to their performances but the leads are seasoned professional and recognisable actors whose performances were not reduced by the amateurs supporting them - moreover it added an authenticity to the emotional journey. I wasn't sure what to expect but more importantly I wasn't disappointed. Very interesting film. It was great to see a lengthy complimentary "making of" on the DVD which revealed an earnest engagement from all involved but also a great sense of fun whilst making it..good for them.

This film seemed to come out of nowhere for me, I'd heard next to nothing about it but boy am I glad I sat down to watch it! I recommend you do the same! The film centres around Father Jack, a priest imprisoned for a 'crime' that is not revealed to us until the last third of the movie, though we and the other prisoners suspect paedophilia. Whilst incarcerated, Jack finds himself falling for a prison guard (played by Garry Summers, who also appears in SHANK for those who are familiar with these writers' body of work) as well as under threat from a sinister prisoner named simply Max (Bernie Hodges.) Firstly the atmosphere created inside the prison is amazing - I don't know where it was filmed but it's tense, frightening, claustrophobic - and you constantly feel the threat of the other inmates just around the corner. The two leads in Daniel & Garry are excellent, creating a relationship you are absolutely able to believe and immerse yourself in, desperately rooting for them to be able to continue their relationship outside the prison.The script is well written and the skillfully woven narrative cleverly combines all manner of devices from dream sequences, to flash-backs and flash-forwards (forget LOST!) to keep you guessing right up until the end! Special mention must also go to Bernie Hodges who is fantastic in his portrayal as the eerie Max - I think a chill went down my spine whenever he appeared on screen! The film is romantic, scary, sad and heart-warming all at the same time and had me hooked throughout. It also carries a pretty strong message about the hypocrisies of religion and actually made me angry in places as well, particularly during a final confrontation with Father Gillie towards the end.I recommend you track this one down if you can and hope it gets a DVD release later in the year! I shall be looking out for more from this talented writer/director team, though it seems this film won't be getting shown at the London LGFF - what the hell BFI?!? Explain yourselves? Presumably it was submitted?!? A major oversight on their part in my opinion!