Directed by:
Jan KomasaScreenplay:
Mateusz PacewiczCinematography:
Piotr Sobociński Jr.Cast:
Bartosz Bielenia, Aleksandra Konieczna, Eliza Rycembel, Tomasz Ziętek, Barbara Jonak, Leszek Lichota, Zdzislaw Wardejn, Lukasz Simlat, Anna Biernacik (more)VOD (1)
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Inspired by true events, Jan Komasa’s multi award-winning drama Corpus Christi is a remarkable tale of morality and redemption, about a charismatic young ex-convict who fooled an entire Polish village by falsely posing as a priest. 20-year-old Daniel (Bartosz Bielenia, a major screen discovery) has found God whilst incarcerated in a youth detention centre, but his criminal record excludes him from entering the seminary. At the end of his sentence he is sent to a small town to take up a position in a woodworking factory, but thanks to a stolen collar is mistakenly taken as the parish’s new clergyman. It’s a seemingly God-given opportunity for transformation, and Daniel - whilst wholly unconventional in his approach (and after a shaky start) - takes to the pulpit with a fervour and compassion that his predecessor has clearly lacked. Meanwhile, the arrival of this magnetic young preacher seems to be the spark needed for the town to acknowledge a recent tragedy that has affected the entire community, one that few have been able to speak about. But not everyone is open to his approach, and Daniel learns the hard way that following the road to salvation can also lead one astray...
Astutely navigating themes of faith, virtue and forgiveness, Komasa’s disciplined and unflinching direction is exponentially enhanced by the simply jaw-dropping lead performance from young Bielenia. Widely hailed by critics and audiences as the stand-out discovery of the 2019 Venice and Toronto Film Festivals, Corpus Christi became a box office sensation in Poland, overtaking Pawel Pawlikowski’s Cold War by achieving over 1.35 million admissions. It demands - and deserves - equal international attention.
(Palace Films)
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Reviews (7)
A classic western scheme about a stranger in a forgotten town, but this time with a truly full-bodied script that puts one challenge after another in front of the hero, and we know that he's going to snap at any moment, so we'd rather enjoy every moment of his theatrics that we're afforded along with him. The improbable plot could otherwise quite easily have been brought to heel, notwithstanding the excellent cinematography and direction (the brutal Noer-esque ending proves what an eclectic director Komasa is), but for the fact that it has such an unqualified and interesting cast. The protagonist in particular, a surreal mutant hybrid of Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Cillian Murphy, has one of the most interesting faces I've seen in a long time, and he leaves a lot unspoken and mysterious right up to the end, even though we watch the entire film through his lens. He's going to be a great Bond villain.
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"I am a murderer. Yes, you heard right. I killed. I killed with a thought. I killed by inaction. I killed by deed. You know what we're good at? Condemnation. Finger-pointing. To forgive is not to forget. That doesn't mean pretending nothing happened. To forgive is to love. To love someone regardless of their guilt. Whatever it may be." - The mesmerizing Bartosz Bielenia as a self-proclaimed fake priest sends a timeless message with his unique acting style that there is good and evil in every human being. It is then up to you what you prefer at the time. It also kind of depends on what society or the community you live in allows you to do. The fascinating drama Corpus Christi contains some powerful ideas and remarkable reflections. You will also find some impressively filmed scenes that make your blood run cold. It is a very good film with an original story that is definitely worth watching. (95%)
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I’m giving five stars to another Polish film with a religious theme. While Clergy was on a much more serious subject, this film complements it perfectly and exposes not just the priests but also their flock who follow Christian teachings to the letter when it comes to Old Testament punishments, but not exactly when it comes to the beam in their own eye and loving their neighbor. I'd say it was an educative film, except that those who know don’t need teaching and those for whom it was primarily intended are virtually unteachable.
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The film sticks to a relatively well-established storyline about a newcomer in a closed and torn community, who inadvertently brings it together through his actions, but who is still unable escape his past. Even the film’s form is quite common throughout most of its running time. What is not as common is the incredibly expressive and even demonic Bartosz Bielenia, who gives an extraordinary performance in the main role and carries the whole film on his shoulders, as well as the perspective of his character, looking at the world through God and thereby getting to know himself. The film also delivers through its comprehensively processed theme of religious faith and a static camera, which in the end surprises when it suddenly and justifiably starts moving at a key moment. This remarkable drama also excels in its elaborate script and serves as further proof that even an intimate film with a small budget and only a few locations can be shot in such a way as to provide the viewer with a strong and exceptionally impressive experience.
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