Calvary

The director and Brendan Gleeson did it again. They mesmerized me with a movie that may not necessarily be funny, but that is really dark and above all contains the amazing atmosphere of the Irish countryside. But it’s not only about the beautiful landscapes that you get to see in the movie. It’s also about the story, which is essentially very simple and straightforward, but which definitely provides a lot to think about. And last but not least, I mustn’t forget the actors. While in the USA some TV show actors have trouble switching from a comedy role to a serious one, here Dylan Moran and Chris O’Dowd do it with a flick of their finger. Obviously, I shouldn’t forget about the very interesting and likeable Kelly Reilly or Aidan Gillen. They all put in divine performances and Brendan is in charge of all that. I don’t know about you, but it’s been a long time since I saw a movie where I’d fall for so many characters at once and that would sweep me off my feet with the story and the atmosphere of the setting. An absolutely clear five-star review and not a star less than that. (04.11.2014)

I'd much rather see the more famous one of the McDonaghs to make it as a theater performance, since although the other one nicely tries to take the biggest Irish skeleton out of the closet using reasonable means, but he is not very successful in doing so at the end of the day. On the one hand, it seems subversive, but it still has too much respect for the seriousness of the topic. That wouldn't happen to the "more famous" one. In any case, it can often be impressive in detail, but as a whole it is basically exactly what you would expect. (17.03.2015)

Compared to the director's previous film The Guard, in the drama called Calvary there is less humor, but comic elements can still be found if you have a sense of black humor and are at least a little cynical. Brendan Gleeson should quickly receive an award, because his performance in the lead role is excellent. The other actors don't lag far behind, as they have a lot to do - all of the characters are really well written and the film boasts a strong and carefully constructed story, clever dialogues with philosophical overlap and an intelligent screenplay that gets to the point. Which also applies to the director. (07.07.2014)

The subject matter, the cartoonishly overwrought characters, and the structure of the scenes make this a classic nightmare. And in this case I mean that catechetically and existentially. Which strikes me as a pretty compelling testament to writer/director McDonagh's abilities. "I didn't realize how much you hate me." "I don't hate you. I'm saying you're have no integrity. Which is the worst thing I can say about anything." (07.07.2021)

A good movie that stands out primarily because of the interesting characters. Brendan Gleeson shows that he can handle the main role excellently. However, the whole environment and of course also how the characters behave towards each other and what they say is important. It's like the life of a priest - but not necessarily just a priest - is truly a Calvary that not everyone can undergo. (20.03.2015)