The Crimes of Father Amaro (2002) (AKA
El crimen del Padre Amaro)
If you know a really staunch Catholic,
I mean really old school, then maybe you should take
them to "The Crimes of Father Amaro" and shake them
up a bit. I say this because no one living in the
modern world, with any knowledge of how corrupt and
mired in bullshit organized religion is these days,
will be too surprised by anything that happens in
the film.
There were a lot of protests relating
to this film when it was released in Mexico earlier
this year. It was called "anti-Catholic," among other
things. The protesters were right in suggesting that
this film exists only to mock the Catholic church
and attempt to disrespect belief in that institution
(not to mention belief in God). That's about all that's
going on here. And while what happens may be shocking
to those knowledgeable in the formal institution that
is Catholicism, much of what is so offensive is lost
on the uninitiated. For example, if I had not read
that it was such blasphemy to feed a communion wafer
to a cat, as a character does in the film, I wouldn't
have been able to understand that particular scene
in the film, not to mention the character.
The film is really nothing less
than exploitative, shocking blasphemy for the sake
of being appalling. Well, there is an idea of how
a young priest who is sent to a small town is corrupted
by the status quo and the lust he feels in his heart.
There's some discussion, perhaps very timely at the
moment, about the sexual lives of priests and the
vow of celibacy. I tell you, all this talk about those
priests molesting young boys that is in the news these
days is about the best thing that could happen to
help promote this film. Priest's sexual lives are
explored here. To bad the protag sleeps with a young
woman instead of a young man. That would have really
sold some tickets!
There is only one reason to see
"The Crimes of Father Amaro" and that is Gael Garcia
Bernal. As the young star of "Amores Perros" and "Y
tu mama tambien," Bernal has proved his talent equals
(perhaps even surpasses) his devastatingly good looks.
This film is no exception to that proof. Bernal is
not only delightful to look at but yet again proves
himself to be a natural actor of immense talent. His
face is all he needs to register the deep conflicts
of the titular character he portrays here. Bernal
gives depth and contemplation to a rather one-dimensional
character. This film would be almost nothing in the
hands of a lesser thespian.
Directed rather perfunctorily by
Carlos Carrera, "The Crimes of Father Amaro" is not
particularly badly made but, other than Bernal's appearance,
there is nothing exceptional about it either. The
images look fine but are nothing to write home about.
The pacing is quite good. The acting is good. The
dialogue and plot are well done albeit rather standard.
To put it succinctly, this is an
average movie made interesting by current events and
made imminently watchable by one of the world's hottest
(in every sense of the word) young actors. Nothing
more.
Notes:
In Spanish with English subtitles.
Also with Sancho Garcia, Luisa Huertas,
Ana Claudia Talancon, Angelica Aragon, Andres Montiel
and Damian Alcazar.
Written by Vincente Lenero. Based
on an 1875 novel of the same name by Portuguese author
Jose Maria Eca de Queiroz.
Viewed at The Dobie in Austin in
November, 2002, at a press sneak. Corey from the "Reel
Deal" was there as well as this lady I've met several
times who works for a Hispanic newspaper in Austin.
Also, someone from "Hybrid Magazine" was there. I
don't have any idea what "Hybrid" is, but they are
also at a lot of these things. There were a few problems
with the print being "used" and it stopped a couple
of times.
