Martin Sheen has landed a role that shows off his considerable talents in this small scale, sensitive and informed film from Tribeca. Based on a novel by Michael Doorley adapted for the screen by Antoine O. Flatharta and directed with sensitivity by Thaddeus O'Sullivan, the story takes place in Ireland of 1956, and the film opens with an introduction to bringing electricity into a very small town whose people have done very well without the new-fangled things, thank you very much.
The priest of the town is Fr. Daniel Barry (Martin Sheen), a loving man who hears confessions, makes his rounds offering oils of last rites to please one elderly ill patient and caring for his flock in a very human manner, is a man of the World having the Church both in America and Rome, who has a passion for Cinema , Music and Language is left to languish in a rural community after being replaced in Rome by a younger priest with greater credentials for scholarship. The Parish Bishop (Tom Hickey) has decided his parish needs a new, modern, concrete church and he burdens the parish priests to raise the funds for the project. There is a politician in the town - Brendan (Stephen Rea) - who vies for power with Fr. Barry, seeking political clout to reign in the filthy temptations of the world from his followers. Fr. Barry, on the other hand, devises a method for raising funds (and catering to his love for picture shows) by building a cinema. He is supported by a new young schoolteacher Tim (Trystan Gravelle, a young Welsh actor of great potential) - Fr. Barry overrode Brendan, further alienating himself. Tim finds room and board with a local young mother Elaine (Amy Huberman) whose alcoholic abusive husband is off to London leaving their young son Joey (Joseph O'Sllivan) without the nurturing of a father. The tale pits the worldly priest against the power hungry fundamentalist politicians and the significant people of the story are at first injured and then find a manner of redemption. In the end the 'bringing of light' to the little town in Tipperary via electricity and modern times merely reveals a path for conscientious folk to escape it all.
The cast is very strong, the musical score by Nicholas Hooper, and the countryside of Ireland is gorgeous. This is a little film with a big message that flies like a lark in the sky. Try to catch it!
Grady Harp
