"Confession" is both a thriller and a tragedy. There are no "evil" characters in this film, just people who make mistakes and don't know what to do after them.
At a prestigious Catholic prep school, bad boy Luther (Chris Pine) is the guy the boys go to when they want booze, porn or movies. After he throws a party in the dorm, he gets himself and his weak-willed roommate Robbie (Lukas Benkham) expelled. When Luther realizes that the school nerd, David Bennet (Adam Bussell) was the rat, they want revenge, and David ends up dead. Now the police are sniffing around, fingering a priest, Father Kelly, as the killer. Father Kelly was the last one to see David alive when he told the priest that he snitched on Luther. But what they don't know is that Luther confessed to killing David, which means that as the police are gathering evidence to pin the crime on Father Kelly, he can't tell the truth.
The characters in "Confession" exist in the area between good and evil called "human nature." Luther isn't a bad kid; he's a troublemaker, but he also feels incredibly guilty. Father Kelly is a good priest, but he has some secrets that he doesn't want told. Robbie is a good kid, but he's easily manipulated. These flaws are not only what define the characters, but they also drive the plot. The characters in the film do not act for the sake of the story; they act because it is in their nature.
The acting is uniformly excellent. Chris Pine, who played Captain Kirk in the "Star Trek" reboot, is terrific as Luther. He's mischievous, but the fact that the police think that Father Kelly is the killer is driving him mad with guilt. Cameron Daddo is equally good as the aloof priest; he's a good man, but he's quiet and has a questionable past. Lukas Benkhan is not as good as the two leads, but he's still a guy who we can really feel for. He knows what Luther does is wrong, but Luther is so charismatic that he goes along until he's in way over his head. Peter Greene has the least developed part as the investigating cop, but he has an arresting presence.
Director Jonathan Meyers wrote this script when he was 14, and considering the complexity of it, that's a stunning achievement. This film was clearly shot on an extremely limited budget, but Meyers makes the most out of it, giving the film a unique look. The sense of atmosphere is strong, and the pacing is terrific. It allows the suspense to build, while also allowing the tragedy to stew. There's really only one flaw, and that's a beginning scene where a wealthy senator, after seeing the party, leaves in a huff. The scene is heavy handed, and is not well acted by Robert Pine (Chris's dad).
This film was not widely released, and that's a shame. Whatever you do, find this movie, and see it! You will not regret it!
My rating: PG-13 for some violence.
