This well-acted, carefully directed Polish film is the story of Adam, a priest in a small rural town trying to repress his homosexuality as he helps a group of troubled teens to find their footing again. Adam has a good heart and is mostly disciplined, represented by his running which he refers to as "a prayer." Without every directly saying so, the film is an indictment of the celibacy thrust on anyone wanting to become a Catholic priest--and the cost of that celibacy--but more than this it is a film about needing love and, even more so, FEELING love that can't be expressed or pursued in a relentlessly homophobic environment. Adam's intermittent alcoholism reflects the cost of self-denial: his entire life seems like self-abnegation to try to squelch his desires--a hopeless and costly endeavor.
While Andrzej Chyra is excellent as Adam, it is Mateusz Kosciukiewicz as Lukasz who is a revelation here. Kosciukiewicz plays Lukasz as troubled and sensitive, taciturn and prone to outbursts--and we can readily understand why Adam is so drawn to him. It's a brilliant performance by Kosciukiewicz, layered and touching, one worth the whole price of admission.
If there are flaws in this film, they are directorial choices. There are too many scenes of the boys being violent and abusive; we got the picture the first time or two. When we finally get to the passion we know is in Adam and Lukasz, the camera is simply moving around too much, the scene too obfuscated in dim lighting. We need to feel these moments. Also, I'm going to guess that both actors are probably straight in real life. As talented as they both are, they never actually kiss in that scene: there would be very passionate kissing. Maybe they should have watched Brokeback Mountain to see how two 'straight' actors simply threw themselves into their scenes of passion.
We're left with certain questions at the end of In the Name Of--and that's fine--but the final scene is truly perplexing. Worth the watch. In many ways, a beuatiful film but not an easy one.
