[FilmReview]CorpusChristi(2019)7.4/10

OrthodoxChristianityisallusivelymockedinPolishfilmmakerJanKomasa’sthirdfeatureCORPUSCHRISTI,inwhich,Daniel(Bielenia),ayoungoffenderreleasedonparolefromayouthdetentioncenter,takesonthedutyasalocumvicarinasleepytown,underthepretensethatheisapriestthankstotheclericalcollarhecarrieswithhim.Thatpremiseisatadfar-fetched,whynoonebotherstochecktheidentificationofthissoi-disantnewpriest?Especiallymorecondemningistheoldvicar(Wardejn),askepticallushwhohasalreadylosthisdiscernmentandismorethanwillingtodelegatehisdailyobligationtothenewDanielwhopurportstobeFatherTomasz,namedafterthedetentioncenterchaplain(Simlat),withwhomDanielcommunicateshisreligiousenlightenment,butisdismayedwhenbeinginformedbythelatterthathecouldn’tenteraseminarybecauseofhissecond-degreemurderoffense.Basically,thefilmfloatstheunconventionalideawhathappensifareformedmurderer,acquiredwithsubstantialspiritualacumen,ismoresuitabletothehallowedvocationthanthejaded,ordainedones,andCORPUSCHRISTImakesaneloquentandcompellingcaseofit,apartfromavicar’sonusintheordinancesandconfessionalsduringwhichhegivesamorethancapableimpression,Danielalsotacklestheaftermathofacaraccidentwhichresultedinacasualtyof7,6revelingyoungstersonecarandalonedriverinanother,sowhichpartyisaccountable?Theanswerismorecomplicatedthanwhatwebargainfor.Thehealingprocessofpurgingthecaldronofanger,griefandguiltoutofahandfulofsmall-townparishionerspansoutwithstep-by-steplucidityandtheultimateembraceofforgivenessandagapeisahard-wonrewardbutKomasararelyoverreacheshimselfintomakingaschmaltzyorhomilyfestoutofit,thefilm’sforteisinitsclear-eyed,committedpresentationofanone-too-crediblestory,andpilingontheobviousandtheunderstated(thetantalizingsexualconsummation,ablackmailingjuviebelongtotheformerandthesolemnLastRites,atacitloveinterestthelatter),CORPUSCHRISTIroundlyputsKomasa’snameonthemapasafilmmakerverynearlyedginghisartisticmaturity,nottomentionithasobtainedanOscarnominationagainstfiercecompetition.BieleniagrittilyshouldersonthroughDaniel’strialsandtribulationswithundiluteddeterminationandfortitude,whosegauntphysiqueandangularlineamentsenablehimtotransmutefromaskeletalcrackheadtoanopen-faceddevoteeataclip.Vimandvigor,plusfireinhisbelly,hisperformancemustbecitedamongoneoftheyear’sbest.Asregardsthesupportingcast,themajorityofwhichisdishedoutwithmorerigidandunimaginativecharacters(apower-tauntingmayor,animpressionablegirlwhoeventuallycomesacrosssexually,etc.),onlyAleksandraKonieczna,asthefemalesextonLidia,abereftmother,standsout,evenjustbyprojectingherdisapprovingglareonthesidelines.ShotinatypicalEasternblocbleakness,mixedwithamistyambienceofthechurchsuggestingtheinscrutabilityoftheholypresence,andclimaxedwithano-nonsense,blood-spatteredcoda,CORPUSCHRISTImakesforagrippingviewingwithanoptimumleadingperformanceandbringsanew,meritocraticperspectiveonourmodern-dayChristianity,thatisitsbe-allandend-all.referentialentries:PawelPawlikowski’sCOLDWAR(2018,8.4/10);FrançoisOzon’sBYTHEGRACEOFGOD(2018,7.2/10).本文版权归作者他他所有，任何形式转载请联系作者。