Father Greg Pilkington (Linus Roache) is new to a Liverpool inner-city parish. He is stiff and proper. Father Matthew Thomas (Tom Wilkinson) is a flamboyant leftist man of the people. Pilkington is uncertain of the senior Father and disapproves of the housekeeper Maria Kerrigan (Cathy Tyson) as well as their relationship. Greg hears Lisa Unsworth's confession about her incestuous father which causes him a moral conflict. He is also struggling with his own homosexual feelings towards Graham (Robert Carlyle).
This movie has a lot of things going on and it's trying to make a point about sex and the church. I like all the actors in this and they do an admirable job. The point could have been made better with a slim down script. Tom Wilkinson could have played a simple elder statesman. His character's sexual going-ons probably distracted the main story a bit. The incest story is quite compelling and brings out some real effecting scenes.
This movie has a lot of things going on and it's trying to make a point about sex and the church. I like all the actors in this and they do an admirable job. The point could have been made better with a slim down script. Tom Wilkinson could have played a simple elder statesman. His character's sexual going-ons probably distracted the main story a bit. The incest story is quite compelling and brings out some real effecting scenes.