Deliver Us From Evil: 4 out of 5 stars
director: Amy Berg
writer: Amy Berg
From the title you would expect this to be some sort of horror movie, and I guess in a way it could be argued that it is, but in reality it's a documentary about sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and the subsequent cover up. The movie focuses on one particular priest, Father Oliver O'Grady, and his victims in Central and Northern California. Although there are no graphic depictions and the descriptions of the acts are no stronger then PG-13, Amy Berg has no problem painting a chilling and disturbing story, full of raw emotion and plenty of "What the fuck" moments. It is totally mind boggling how the Catholic Church has let this stuff happen and there explanations only make things worse. Some people may say the same about the parents, who blindly trusted O'Grady and the church, but having grown up Catholic, I understand. This trust only makes the pain that much more intense when you realize it is partially your fault your kid was abused. For me, the scenes of the parents realization were the most intense. When Bob Jyono starts yelling at the camera in sadness, you can't help but feel the amount of suffering this priest has placed on not just the kids he abused but the families and the communities he was supposed to service.
One of the two things I found most disturbing was Oliver O'Grady's descriptions of his acts. The movie showcased numerous interviews with the priest where he talked about what happened and the things he did. He talks with such a nonchalant manner, smiling on many occasions, about acts that are so revolting, you almost miss out on the severity of what he's admitting to. Once you grasp what is being said you can't help but realize, this is a sick man who needs to be in jail. At the same time, you get to see the cult of personality his parishioners fell for. He presents himself as a man who is thoughtful and very self-aware, able to hide the monster he really is.
The second thing is the extent that the Catholic Church has gone to cover up and ignore this issue. Not only did they try to solve the problems my simpling moving O'Grady from parish to parish, they won't even admit to knowing there was a problem. At one point a bishop who oversaw O'Grady claimed he wasn't able to deduce there was a problem after two reported incidents because one was with a girl and one was with a boy. Why would a man sexually abusing a girl be a problem? I would think any sexual activity from supposed chaste priests would raise red flags, but what do I know? It begs the question, if sexual contact with young girls is OK, how long has the Church been letting this go on? If the Church means to practice the messages it preaches and further the teachings of Christ, how can they let this suffering happen to the youngest and most innocent of its charges? It's a question the film explores as much as it can with no real resolution, to no fault of its own. The film points out the current Pope was for years the Cardinal in charge of protection of the youth. It was his job to root out the perverts in the Church and save the kids from the atrocities that were going on, yet his response was much the same as it always seems to have been. Just move the priest to another parish where nobody knows the monster that he is.
Though at times it is hard to digest the horror of O'Grady's crimes (he once had sex with a 9 month old child), this movie is a must see for anyone who still tries to defend the Catholic Church. There is no defense for what has happened across the world.
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