Going My Way. And Good Friday was perhaps not the ideal day for Miramax Films to schedule Priest for wide release. Small wonder that a few of the faithful were miffed. The Catholic League threatened a boycott of Miramax's owner, the Walt Disney Co., before Miramax moved the date back. Priest, directed by Antonia Bird, is sensational only in its content.
Priest does, which is one reason why it leaves fat, hot tears on many spectators' faces.
The film delivers on its promise to edify at any cost. For many modern Catholics, the question of a gay clergy inspires a big shrug. These days, they are among the few who want to be. The real issue, blithely dodged in this movie, is the Catholic sin of giving scandal. A priest is, after all, Christ's salesman and stand-in.