Review of The Crime of Padre Amaro (2002) by Jim D — 18 May 2007

A modernized version of a book written in the late 1800's that would have been a lot more shocking in a different time and climate than we now live in.

Hypocricy in the church? Nothing shocking there. A priest who feels he was forced to take a vow of celibacy but truly believes priests should be given a choice who subsequently breaks that vow of celibacy. Nothing shocking there.

I'm surprised at the number of reviewers that believeve this film is about a priest who 'falls in love' with a beautiful young parishioner. I must have a different idea of love because, to me, it didn't appear to be more than a priest thinking with his anatomy. Where's the love? Flowery words? Kind gestures? Gentle caresses? Heck, that's all covered in Seduction 101!! Every guy who wants to get laid knows those. He was more concerned about finding them a place to have sex than he was about her emotional or physical well being. If that's love, thanks, I'll pass.

This is another film that it's obvious a lot of people loved (there's that word again!!). And yet, it inspired little in me. I was ready for it to be over long before it was. Definitely not an addition to my 'YAY for foreign films list'.