[FilmReview]TheCrimeofPadreAmaro(2002)

AgainstthecensureoftheCatholicchurch,CarlosCarrera’sTHECRIMEOFPADREAMAROistheall-timeboxofficechampioninMexicoofitstimeandreapsappreciableinternationalcloutasafinalnomineeofOscar’sBESTFOREIGNLANGUAGEFILM.TransposingEçadeQueirós’19thcenturytitularnoveltothepresentday.thefilmtearsintoMexico’sCatholicChurchwithbothbarrels,mostblatantlyforthedepictionofadelugeofcorruptionsandscandalsinsidetheChurch:fornication,moneylaundering,transactionwithlocaldruglords,internalfrictionandthemostharrowing,thedisinterestednesstowardsthosewhoareindistress(likethewretchedlydisabled).Phrasingtheterm“crime”insteadof“sin”initstitle,itbetraysthatthewrongdoingscommittedbytheyoungFatherAmaro(Bernal)isprofaneratherthanreligious,historridcarnalknowledgewithayoung,impressionableCatholicgirlAmelia(Talancón)isnotthe“crime”here,butavenialsin,thetruecrimeliesinitstragicaftermath,wherewecanseeAmarosuppresseshisconscienceinordertopursuebenefice,hisvocation,thisrevealofopportunismisthelastnailinthecoffin,beforeyoubecomeamanofclothes,youshouldfirstbeadecentman,thatisaprerequisitebreachedbymostoftheseclergymen.InAmaro’scase,itissoeasytogetoffthehookofhiscrime,sohetakesthelowroadandshowsalmostnocompunction,itmakeshimahypocrite,acowardthatBernaltriestorelateustohisdilemma,buttolittleavailbecausehisconductsarebeyondthepale,alsotheabortionsubplotismusty,itsfinalpro-lifesnideisasellout.Itisapriest’sclashbetweendivinityandhumanityCarrerasetstoexplore,andittakesgutsandcanninesstotaketheChurchtotaskandstayafloatafterwards,buttheentireaffairprogressesinalacklusterpace,lardedwithsoapytheatrics,emotioniswrittenalloveronewithoutfinesse(LuisaHuertas’happy-clappyGorgonissorepulsivethatitcanbreedmisogyny).Intheevent,whatisleftvalidisamutedoutcry,innocenceislost,commissiongoesunpunished,withacorruptelderpriestexpressinghisdisgusttohisyoungsuccessorasthefinalfade-out,isitapotcallingakettleblack?THECRIMEOFPADREAMAROisanIbero-Americancausecélèbre,butitsbarkisworsethanitsbite,acurate’seggwhoseoriginallusterhasbeenetiolated.referentialentries:FernandaValadez’sIDENTIFYINGFEATURES(2020,7.3/10);LuisBuñuel’sVIRIDIANA(1961,8.2/10).Title:TheCrimeofPadreAmaroOriginalTitle:ElcrimendelPadreAmaroYear:2002Genre:Drama,RomanceCountry:Mexico,Spain,Argentina,FranceLanguage:SpanishDirector:CarlosCarreraScreenwriter:VincenteLeñerobasedonthenovelbyJoséMariadeEçadeQueirósMusic:RosinoSerranoCinematography:GuillermoGranilloEditing:OscarFigueroaCast:GaelGarcíaBernalAnaClaudiaTalancónSanchoGraciaAngélicaAragónLuisaHuertasAndrésMontielDamiánAlcázarErnestoGómezCruzLorenzodeRodasVerónicaLangerPedroArmendárizJr.GastónMeloFernandoBecerrilRating:6.4/10