In The Name of the Father

Author(s): Wes Freeman / Tyler Pratt
Location: Miami, FL

“In The Name Of the Father”

Directed By: Martin Scorsese
Written By: Jay Cocks, William Monahan and Martin Scorsese
Produced By: Robert DeNiro, Francis Ford Coppola, and Brad Grey
Distributed By: Warner Brothers

Principal Cast:

Daniel Day Lewis as Sebastio Rodrigues
Harvey Keitel as Francisco Garrpe
Javier Bardem as Cristovan Fierria
Ken Watanabe as Toshiro Matsuzaka
Gong Li as Kyoko Matsuzaka
Benicio Del Toro as Father Octavio
Gael Garcia Bernal as Miguel Rodrigues
Penelope Cruz as Sister Veronica
Chow Yun Fat as Emperor Saigo
Andy Lau as Matsui Kobayashi
Tony Leung as Father Kamazawa
Robert DeNiro as Cardinal Porfirio
Adriana Barraza as Mother Esperanz
Sergi Lopez as Father Arriaga

Tagline: "Rediscover Your Faith..... This Fall''

Synopsis: Three Portuguese priests (Day-lewis,Keitel, Bardem) who travel to seventeenth century Imperial Japan (which has isolated itself from all foreign contact, to see how a mission they had set up has been carrying on since they set it up 5 years earlier. While in Japan they witness they persecution of Japanese Christians at the hands of their own government, wishing to cleanse itself of all Western influence. Eventually the three men separate. Sebasito Rodrigues stays to run the mission along with his brother Miguel and their benefactors the Matsuzaka’s, they spend most of their time trying to convince Emperor Saigo to end his slaughter of Japanese Christians. Saigo refuses and sends his Imperial soldiers to destroy the mission. Only Sebastio and Toshiro survive the onslaught. Fransico Garrpe, decides to travel the countryside until he comes upon Matsui Kobayashi a Japanese Christian who fled his hometown to escape execution at the hands of soldiers. Garrpe becomes deeply emotionally attached to him over time, but ashamed of his closeted homosexuality, he decides to keep it underwraps. One night, unable to control himself Francisco forces himself on Kobayashi. He freaks out and refuses, causing an infuriated Franciso to bludgeon him to death with his cane. Garrpe horrified by his actions sets off to find Rodrigues and Fierria. Cristovan Fierria goes into the mountains pondering why God remains silent while his children suffer, and as a result considers renouncing his faith. Eventually he arrives at the Spanish mission ran by Cardinal Porfirio and Mother Esperanza. During his stay he meets Sister Veronica who appears to be smitten with him and a radical priest Father Octavio. One night when he is about to break his vow of celibacy with Veronica, the mission is ambushed by the Imperial army and he follows Father Octavio into the wilderness. Octavio soon is struck by cholera and as he lays dying, Cristovan watches him thank God for his life. After he dies Fierria decides to continue serving God and goes to find his friends. After a year apart the three finally reunite and decide to return to Portugal, Toshiro opts to stay in Japan. As the movie ends the three priests wonder whether or not they can ever go back to their normal lives.

What the press would say:

Martin Scorsese movies always tend to have similar themes such as Guilt, Religion and Violence. In his newest tour de force “In The Name of the Father” based on a Japanese novel, he effectively combines all three into the most emotionally touching film of the year.

Daniel Day-Lewis, Harvey Keitel, and Javier Bardem star as the three priests, give one of the finest examples of ensemble acting in nearly a decade, though Javier Bardem especially gives his greatest performance as a priest doubting his faith. Keitel also provides a career high as a closeted homosexual priest and Daniel Day-Lewis does what he does best, act. Days after leaving the theater “In The Name Of The Father “ will continue to leave you in utter disbelief, striking an emotional chord in you that you will never forget. A definite front runner for any and all awards this year.

Awards

Golden globes:

Best Picture – Drama
Best Director
Best Screenplay
Best actor- Drama: Javier Bardem
Best Supporting Actor: Harvey Keitel