--- title: "Calvary" year: 2014 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/calvary" fi1m_score: 81 critics_score: 77 critics_reviews: 25 published: "2026-09-17T12:29:14.917028+00:00" updated: "2026-09-17T12:29:15.131386+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Calvary (2014) Directed by John Michael McDonagh · 1h 41m · MPA R · Drama **Fi1m score: 81** · Critics 77 from 25 reviews *In a sentence:* Someone in this parish wants the priest dead, and after an hour with the parishioners we started compiling a list of our own > John Michael McDonagh’s second film gives Brendan Gleeson a good priest, a week to live and a parish full of people written to provoke him. Gleeson is superb, the coast is shot without mercy, and the parishioners are the weakest thing in a film we recommend anyway. ## Synopsis Father James Lavelle (Brendan Gleeson) is the priest of a small coastal parish in Ireland. In the confessional, an unseen man tells him he was abused by a priest for years as a child, that the priest is dead, and that he will kill Father James instead, on the beach, next Sunday. James knows the voice. He goes on with his week anyway: the butcher Jack Brennan (Chris O’Dowd), whose wife has a black eye and a lover; Dr Frank Harte (Aidan Gillen), who does not believe in God and enjoys saying so; Michael Fitzgerald (Dylan Moran), a rich man alone in a large house. Then his daughter Fiona (Kelly Reilly) comes home with her wrists bandaged. ## Review Father James Lavelle (Brendan Gleeson) sits down in the confessional and hears something that is not a confession. The man on the other side of the grille was abused by a priest from the age of seven. That priest is dead, and killing a bad priest would prove nothing, so he intends to kill a good one instead: Father James, next Sunday, on the beach. James recognises the voice. The film is the week in between, and John Michael McDonagh, who wrote and directed it, has made something a good deal angrier than [*The Guard*](https://film.one/film/the-guard), the comedy he and Gleeson made together in 2011, and a good deal better. It is a fine film with one large fault, and the fault is the parish. The week is a round of house calls. Jack Brennan (Chris O’Dowd), the butcher, has a wife with a black eye and a lover, Simon (Isaach de Bankolé), who does not want to talk. Dr Frank Harte (Aidan Gillen) believes in nothing and wants the priest to know it. Michael Fitzgerald (Dylan Moran) is rich and alone in a house full of paintings he does not look at. Each gets a scene and a speech; several are sketches of a type rather than people, and we are asked to believe a good man spent years among them without noticing. Gleeson is the reason it works anyway. He plays James almost entirely still, taking what is said to him and deciding, visibly, not to answer in kind. When Gillen’s doctor tells a story about a child on an operating table, written to hurt, nothing moves but his eyes, and we watch him lose a little ground. The film’s best scenes are with his daughter Fiona (Kelly Reilly), who arrives with her wrists bandaged and walks the cliff path with him talking about the people who left her. Reilly plays her without self-pity, and Gleeson plays him as a father who knows he was one of them. The scene that got past our guard came at the hospital. Teresa (Marie-Josée Croze), a French visitor, has lost her husband in a crash on the coast road, and James takes her in to see the body. We expected a scene about grief and got one about faith, from a woman calmer than the priest. Croze plays it dry-eyed; Gleeson listens; Chris Gill holds the shot in the corridor well past where most editors would have cut. It moved us more than anything in the film with a raised voice in it. Larry Smith shoots the coast in flat grey light, a flat-topped mountain behind the town in nearly every exterior. Eimer Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh keeps James in his black cassock, so he is the one dark figure against the green and the grey, which says what the film thinks of his chances. Mark Geraghty gives the priest’s house bare walls and one crucifix, and Fitzgerald’s mansion glass, white leather and a painting worth more than the parish. Patrick Cassidy’s score is choral, slow and mournful, and it comes in over the landscape a little too often, telling us this is a passion play in case the title had not. It had. McDonagh does not trust silence, and the film is weakest when it stops to explain itself: a visit to a prisoner (Domhnall Gleeson) that exists to test whether forgiveness has a limit. The middle third sags because the film is shaped like a whodunnit and has no interest in the answer. Father Leary (David Wilmot), the curate who treats the parish as a job, and Brendan Lynch (Pat Shortt), the barman, are the funniest people in it, and neither would last a minute outside a McDonagh script. Against McDonagh’s own standard this is a large step up: *The Guard* was a joke told well, and this is a question asked seriously. The best films about priests and doubt trust a face. Gleeson has the face; McDonagh gives him a paragraph as well, and about half the time that is one too many. It carries a 15 certificate, and the first spoken line earns it. The last twenty minutes, which we will not describe, are the one stretch McDonagh plays entirely straight, and they are the best thing in it. *Fi1m score 81, published 17 September 2026.* ## What the critics say The reviews lean strongly positive, with twenty-three of twenty-five critics recommending the film. Almost all of them begin with Brendan Gleeson, whose performance as a decent priest threatened with murder is called monumental, magnificent or simply the thing holding the film together. Beyond him, most critics praise the way McDonagh’s script moves from small-town black comedy into a serious inquiry into faith and the Church’s legacy of abuse, and several rate it a clear step up from The Guard. The ensemble of eccentric, often grotesque parishioners is widely enjoyed. The reservations cluster on structure and tone. Several critics feel the film tries to do too much, falls between genres, or loses momentum in a middle act that leans on the mystery. Consequence finds it rings true but too loudly. The spread is otherwise narrow, with two outright dissenters: Slant Magazine sees sketches that never add up to a larger point, and Vulture finds the characters cartoonish and the film bludgeoning, while still crediting Gleeson. ### Reviews we read (25) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (90/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an exhilarating and angry satirical drama about a good priest facing a deadly threat in a fractured post-Catholic Ireland. He singles out Brendan Gleeson's powerfully charismatic performance as the key element holding the film together. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/apr/10/calvary-review-gleeson-mcdonagh-peter-bradshaw-film-of-the-week) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (90/100, inferred): The critic praises McDonagh's nuanced second feature and Gleeson's performance as a priest of profound integrity, noting the film's powerful drama enriched by black comedy and contemplation of faith. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/calvary-sundance-review-672450/) - **The Times** (*****): The review calls Calvary a masterful and emotionally devastating film that seduces with humour before delivering a body-blow and sermon on faith and Ireland's crises. It praises the performance of Brendan Gleeson and the director's deeper exploration of Irish themes. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/calvary-rfpzzmc73d2) - **Total Film**, Andrew Lowry (90/100, inferred): Anchored by a sensational performance from Gleeson, this blend of passion play, detective story, rural comedy and inquiry into faith is destined for classic status and a major step up from The Guard. It offers black comedy alongside a serious examination of how compassion and faith interlink in a secular society. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/calvary-review/) - **Variety**, Justin Chang (90/100, inferred): McDonagh's masterful follow-up to 'The Guard' is a caustic yet contemplative work grounded by Gleeson's monumental performance as a priest facing death. It offers a mordantly funny survey of small-town iniquity that shifts into a deeply felt lament for faith and the Church's legacy of abuse. [Read](https://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/sundance-film-review-calvary-1201065125/) - **Empire**, Kim Newman (85/100, inferred): The film is gripping, moving, funny and troubling with an uncompromising yet uncynical finish. It showcases Brendan Gleeson as a standout priest while featuring strong supporting turns from a range of character actors. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/calvary-review/) - **Film Comment**, Scout Tafoya (80/100, inferred): The critic describes the film as a mythic passion play with wry twists, strong on biblical imagery and comparisons to Westerns and giallos, anchored by Brendan Gleeson's flawed priest navigating faith, betrayal, and compassion in a cynical Irish town. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/review-calvary-john-michael-mcdonagh/) - **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (3/4/5): The review hails the film as one of the year's best, commending its sensitivity, even-handedness, and Gleeson's monumental central performance. It singles out the nuanced handling of religious themes and the strong ensemble of eccentric yet humane side characters. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/calvary) - **Los Angeles Times**, Mark Olsen (80/100, inferred): The film is a surprising, serious-minded yet lightly comedic rumination on life, death, faith and community that builds moral gravity through its episodic structure. Brendan Gleeson's compelling presence as the priest anchors the story of a threatened clergyman navigating his troubled flock. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-calvary-review-20140801-story.html) - **Sight and Sound**, Jonathan Romney (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the film as a serious examination of faith and uncertainty, highlighting Brendan Gleeson's powerful performance as the priest. It notes the film's blend of black comedy and moral inquiry, calling it an audacious advance with genuine philosophical substance. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-calvary) - **Time Out**, Cath Clarke (4/5): The critic describes the film as a wickedly funny black comedy with heart and intelligence, praising its gallows humour and shaggy-dog mystery structure. It highlights Brendan Gleeson's compelling presence as the priest and the brilliant comic turns from the Irish cast. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/calvary) - **Evening Standard** (70/100, inferred): The film is worth seeing as a statement about faith and integrity in the Catholic Church after the abuse scandals, though it falls between genres and is not wholly convincing. Brendan Gleeson delivers a massive, treat-to-watch presence as the good priest facing trials from a gallery of grotesques. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/calvary-review-brendan-gleeson-is-a-massive-presence-and-a-treat-to-watch-9252052.html) - **RogerEbert.com**, Glenn Kenny (70/100, inferred): The film is a darkly comic, absurdist allegory about forgiveness and faith centered on a week in the life of a beleaguered Irish priest. Gleeson's magnificent performance and McDonagh's sharp dialogue are singled out for praise, though the reviewer notes a couple of risks that do not entirely pay off. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/calvary-2014) - **Screen Daily** (70/100, inferred): The review calls it a rich character drama that is eloquent and despairing, grounded by Brendan Gleeson's fine lead performance. It notes the film's philosophical ruminations on faith and human decency but flags potential challenges in tone and marketability. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/calvary/5065533.article) - **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (70/100, inferred): McDonagh's mordantly funny murder mystery follows a good priest marked for death by a parishioner seeking revenge on the Catholic Church. The stark Irish landscapes and the ensemble of eccentric, often repulsive characters are highlighted as key elements. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/01/movies/calvary-john-michael-mcdonaghs-murder-mystery.html) - **Slant Magazine**, Jaime N. Christley (40/100, inferred): The film frustrates as much as it entertains; McDonagh fails to craft a larger philosophical gesture from the sketches, leaving the viewer mildly insulted by its presumptuous attitude. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/calvary/) - **Vulture** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film bludgeoning and offensive, criticizing the quirky performances and cartoonish characters, though acknowledging Gleeson's strong performance. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2014/08/movie-review-calvary.html) - **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (A-): The film is a dark, complex meditation on faith, forgiveness, and reckonings, anchored by Brendan Gleeson's incredible lead performance. It shows the intricacies of religion without becoming pedantic. [Read](https://collider.com/calvary-movie-review/) - **The Playlist**, The Playlist Staff (A-): The review lauds the inventive black comedy's masterful control over tone shifts, thematically rich exploration of Catholic Church scandals and existential themes, and Brendan Gleeson's terrific performance in a nuanced role. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-john-michael-mcdonaghs-inventive-masterful-black-comedy-calvary-20140730/) - **Den of Geek**, Simon Brew (4/5): The critic highlights Brendan Gleeson's career-best performance as the priest at the film's heart, noting the darker tone compared to The Guard while praising its intelligent exploration of faith and human darkness, though it loses some momentum midway. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/calvary-review/) - **Eye for Film**, Amber Wilkinson (80/100, inferred): The film is a more measured and moving work than the director's debut, anchored in modern Irish realities with strong performances, especially Gleeson's as an honest priest, blending barbed wit with hope amid themes of sin and virtue. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/calvary-2014-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) - **HeyUGuys**, Stefan Pape (4/5): The critic praises the film's profound character study of a priest facing death, its Irish wit mixed with philosophical depth on religion and mortality, and Brendan Gleeson's nuanced performance. It marks a triumphant sophomore effort despite being darker than expected. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/calvary-review/) - **Consequence** (75/100, inferred): McDonagh's film is a fiery, blunt take on Catholicism and faith that rings true but too loudly at times. Brendan Gleeson's bravura performance as the embattled priest saves it from cynicism and carries the story's emotional weight. [Read](https://consequence.net/2014/08/film-review-calvary/) - **/Film**, Germain Lussier (7/10): Blends mystery, comedy and philosophy with strong performances but tries to do too much, missing perfect balance; impressive ambitious work. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/530002/brendan-gleeson-and-john-michael-mcdonagh-blend-mystery-and-philosophy-in-calvary-sundance-14-review/) - **Paste**, Brent McKnight (8.7): Gleeson and McDonagh's collaboration delivers a strong character study of a priest facing a death threat while ministering to a flawed parish. The film offers a philosophical examination of faith that is despondent yet hopeful, though the middle act leans too heavily on mystery. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/calvary) ## Details - **Director:** John Michael McDonagh - **Director:** John Michael McDonagh - **Writer:** John Michael McDonagh - **Cinematography:** Larry Smith - **Editor:** Chris Gill - **Music:** Patrick Cassidy - **Production design:** Mark Geraghty - **Costume design:** Eimer Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh - **Producer:** Flora Fernandez Marengo, James Flynn, Chris Clark - **Cast:** Brendan Gleeson as Father James Lavelle; Chris O'Dowd as Jack Brennan; Kelly Reilly as Fiona Lavelle; Aidan Gillen as Dr. Frank Harte; Dylan Moran as Michael Fitzgerald; Isaach de Bankolé as Simon; M. Emmet Walsh as The Writer; Marie-Josée Croze as Teresa - **Runtime:** 1h 41m - **Certificate (MPA):** R - **Release (the US):** 1 August 2014 - **Genres:** Drama - **Box office:** $4 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iBJbcHq-oU ## Where to watch in the US - Amazon Prime Video: streaming - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd - Apple TV: rent $4.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $9.99, hd - Apple TV: buy $9.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-17.* Also available in: AT, AU, BE, CA, CH, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, JP, NL, NO, NZ, PL, PT, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - European Film Award for Best Actor 2014: European Film Award for Best Actor (nominated) ## If you liked this - *Diary of a Country Priest* (1951): Bresson’s young curé and his hostile village; the same job, done in silence. - *Winter Light* (1963): Bergman’s pastor loses his faith between two services; eighty minutes, no mercy. - *The Guard* (2011), Fi1m 78: McDonagh and Gleeson’s first go: the same town, roughly, before the jokes turned sour. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-guard.md) - *Of Gods and Men* (2010), Fi1m 84: French monks in Algeria decide whether to stay and be killed; quiet and unbearable. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/of-gods-and-men.md) - *First Reformed* (2017), Fi1m 86: Schrader’s priest keeps a journal and a grievance; the American cousin of this film. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/first-reformed.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/calvary