Aime et fais ce que tu veux

it can be beautiful, strange or ambiguous. courageous or to close by blasphemy. in fact, it is only impressive. cold and bitter, gray and strange, it is not exactly a love story but image of a self definition fight. the theme makes difference not for the story itself but for the status of ingredient in a Polish movie. and the most important virtue , in this case, is the performance who sustain not only the story but the intentions of director. it is not easy to say if it is a good or bad film. because, after its end, important remains only the feeling. a kind of emotion who makes the film to be part of your memories. and image of an isle in which nothing can be clear, nothing has solution or roots. a film about solitude of choices. and that is all.

Andrej Chyra (Father Adam), Mateusz Koskiukiewicz (the tongue-tied Lukasz) and Tomas Schuchard (the streetwise Blondie)are superb. But this is writer/director Malgorzata Szumowski's film and it is original, fresh. It proves once again the power of art to make sympathetic a character you wouldn't have believed was worthy of consideration based on the facts alone. I mean the conscience-tormented Father Adam who is enveloped in a haze of homoeroticism generated by the late-teenage youths at a Polish reformatory camp. Given the emotional and affectional undernourishment among both the adults and the youths it is unsurprising that desire emerges here and there. But Father Adam is no predator pedophile exploiting altar boys. He is a sincere man devoted to the well-being of his wards and his temptations come in the form of youths past the age of consent played by actors well-past that age.

Wonderful treatment of the charged subject of men who love men in Catholic society and within the church in particular. Subtle script,phenomenal acting, and a very gentle approach to the characters and their humanness. Last but not least, every shot is a masterpiece of composition, lighting, and attention to colors and details. Undoubtedly this film presents a heretofore taboo topic and offers a human and livable solution to the real-life misery that so many men who love men have experienced over the ages, especially in conservative societies. Throughout the film I thought of it as one that only describes but prescribed a reality that it helps emerge by depicting it as an option. The main protagonist is so lovable and good-intentioned that it comes could really provide as a cobblestone on the path to social change vis-a-vis homophobia.

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.

To say the least. The movie will not leave you completely after watching it. Whatever reaction it does create, it will stay with you. It's not an easy or light theme it takes on. Therefor it had to be careful. But it is not too careful. You have scenes that are explicit in its sexual nature (even if not completely graphic).

But it is the overall feeling this movie might leave you with and the moral choices the characters are taking. It is not easy to watch at all and you might understand the characters or you might start to hate some of them too. But I can't imagine anyone watching this, feeling nothing (even if its just disgust). The acting is really good and you get the feeling as if this is really happening (some might argue that it is close to some truth, which wouldn't be wrong I reckon). Tough but maybe still rewarding watch