I just caught this movie on cable, and found it to be one of the most touching I've seen. I'm Roman Catholic, and unless you are the type to blindly follow the tenants of your faith without question, you will likely find the questions raised by this film familiar. It really makes no difference whether the Priest is gay or straight, as human beings, they are undoubtedly often caught between the desire to respond to normal human needs and the requirements of the church. And while the Catholic church provides the setting, much of what the older priest says in his sermon regarding what God finds worthy of His attention can be applied to most any religion, as can the discussion near the end between the angry parishioners and the younger priest upon his return from exile. There are some very emotional moments in the film, not the least of which is the ending. As Catholics, we tend to forget that priests are human beings. This movie shows us that they are. I will warn you that, if you tend to cringe at the portrayal of gay attraction (as I do), you WILL find yourself doing so at various points in this film ("Brokeback Mountain" has nothing on "Priest"), but nothing is ever presented in poor taste or gratuitously, in my opinion. A film definitely worth viewing.
On a side note, I counted at least 5 performers in "Priest" that also appear in "The Full Monty." Guess they needed to do something a bit lighter after this one.
On a side note, I counted at least 5 performers in "Priest" that also appear in "The Full Monty." Guess they needed to do something a bit lighter after this one.