In the Name of... (2013)

This is a very effective, very positive and yet oddly disturbing movie about the fitful coming out of a 40ish gay priest in Poland. His name is Adam, and he looks nothing like a priest except while on duty. He's always known he's gay, but he's serious about his vocation and has stayed closeted in order to keep his vows of celibacy.He has a special gift for helping troubled teenage boys, which his superiors value greatly. His homosexuality has never led to anything remotely inappropriate with a boy (or with a man, for that matter), but he is periodically transferred in order to keep even rumors from interfering with his very valuable ministry. Most recently he was moved from Warsaw to an isolated rural parish with a small work-home for boys on furlough from reformatories.This is a complex movie, and trying to summarize its plot would be a disservice. It is not predictable, not typical of gay movies, of priest movies, or of any other sort of movies I can think of. It's not the story of a type of man but of THIS man. So, like any real human being, Adam is more complicated than a normal movie character, and the director does not try to make him easy to understand.In part because it's NOT predictable, this movie is fascinating to watch, and the end is especially satisfying. The movie is disturbing not because of anything that happens, but because everyone and everything in it looks dirty.I know that sounds superficial, but sometimes the most superficial things in life are the most distressing. Even after bathing, the characters look grimy, everything indoors is dingy, and outdoors is nothing but dust. I don't know if rural Poland really is as miserable as this movie makes it appear, or if the director was intentionally creating a disturbing ambiance for the movie.Although it's disturbing, that ambiance adds to the complexity of the movie and enhances its effectiveness. I watched it twice; it was richer and even more satisfying the second time.

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.

If I tell you the plot of Polish film 'W Imię...' (English title: 'In the Name of') centres around a priest posted to a boys' reform school, you'll probably be able to guess what the rest of the story is about - and you'll be right. Following a scandal involving an altar boy, the church authorities see fit to send worn-looking Father Adam to a place where he'll spend all day surrounded by husky youths who prefer to do their chores sans shirts - well, what could go wrong? The inevitable duly happens - whilst fending off the advances of a colleague's statuesque wife, the closeted Adam finds himself attracted to one lad in particular...... however, said lad is a local village youth, so while there are obviously betrayal-of-trust issues, it's not as bad as if Father Adam was casting covetous glances at one of the boys in his care. And the boy concerned, Łukasz (whose nickname of 'Humpty' is at odds with his svelte body) has enough facial scurf that he should be comfortably above the age of consent, whatever that may be in Poland. (He's also an arsonist - can Adam pick 'em, or what?)One complaint: the amount of insect life in this film. Indeed, there are so many flies buzzing around in almost every scene it's like the village is in the middle of some biblical plague. But that apart, I enjoyed this. It's a slow-moving film, but in a good way: while there are scenes that are unexplained (eg: a religious procession; the sudden appearance of a bandage on Father Adam's hand), the viewer does not get a sense of wasted time nor of needless padding; the story progresses at its own pace, and the viewer happily follows along. While Catholics may have a problem with the subject matter - not to mention Adam's drunken dance with a portrait of Pope Benedict XVI - if they can get past that they'll find an engrossing human interest drama - and one that provides a surprise twist in the very last frame.

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