Cady's Take:

The Crime of Padre Amaro is a troubling statement about Church hypocrisy and fraud that doesn't know when to quit. The Catholic Church may be the film's most visible target, but it is by no means the only one. Much of the controversy surrounding the film centers on the Padre's decision to abandon his chastity for a pretty young 16-year old Amelia (Ana Claudia Talancón). She is sexually obsessed with the church, so much so that she confesses to unclean thoughts about Jesus himself.

The Crime of Father Amaro is not an indictment of the Catholic Church as a whole, but a thought-provoking look at what can happen when decent individuals are seduced by the power of their position. This film wants you to believe that no one in this movie is inherently evil; they are products of a system that is rotten to the core. There is no black and white about who's good and who's bad, everyone seems to be on the fence. According to Carrera, priests are human and should be given a break, or else they'll be driven to commit sins as lamentable as those of Amaro and Benito.

The overall progression of events in the film are rather predictable and it faces a potentially large problem by having too many little subplots in conjunction with the major issue, namely Amaro’s sexual relationship. Carlos Carrera's film became a boxoffice sensation in Mexico, but its success can be traced to the shocking subject matter rather than the quality of its treatment. A decent film, but plays out like a soap opera.

“The Crime of Father Amaro” is the most fascinating story I have ever seen regarding the private lives of priests. Young Padre Amaro (Bernal) is assigned to a small parish in Mexico, where he is under the tutelage of Padre Benito, and soon under the spell of Amelia, a young and seductive village girl. Amelia’s mother Sanjuanera (Aragon) has been carrying on an affair with Father Benito for twenty years, and her daughter seems poised to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Father Benito is involved with the local drug lords – they launder money through his parish, which also provides financial backing for a new hospital – all of which seems quite all right with his diocese. Young Amaro is an idealistic young man, ambitious within the church, and eager to adopt the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that has kept Father Benito ingratiated with his parish, and satisfied as a man.

Amaro soon discovers he has impregnated Amelia, and encourages her to get an abortion. She does so, and the consequences are disastrous, and yet not really the focus of the film. Instead “The Crime of Padre Amaro” is about men who are priests and how they choose to live their private lives. Amelia is devastated to learn that while Padre Amaro may love her, he does not consider leaving the church for a moment and this stance is enforced even more strongly as he sees how well a similar situation has worked out for Benito (or so Padre Amaro thinks). Of course, there is the implication that Amelia may be Benito’s own daughter, which would explain his fury at Amaro’s affair with her, while he carries on his own.

There is something wonderful to be said about indulging in a foreign film from time to time. I find that there is much less emphasis on the actors being pretty, and more on them being talented. The cinematography is lovely, and the set design and costume authentic. I highly recommend this movie, and I think it is a great way for non-foreign film lovers to give it their first shot.