Deliver Us from Evil recounts the life of former Catholic priest Oliver O'Grady as a serial child molester in Northern California from 1973 until his conviction in 1993. During this period, O'Grady sexually abused twenty five children while prominent leaders of the church failed to ensure basic legal protections for the victims despite knowledge of the abuse.
The emotions in this grim documentary are raw and real. Director Amy Berg uses on camera interviews with the now exiled O'Grady and several of his victims to present a compelling moral indictment against the Roman Catholic Church for their blind engagement and silencing of decades of sexual abuse.
The sobering stories of the victims give us a full grasp of the psychological ramifications of childhood sexual abuse, the stunted emotional growth, and the persistent pain and shame that clings throughout the entirety of a victims life. O'Grady's appearances, being equally poignant, provide an intimate glimpse into a child molester's psyche. However, his candor and seemingly cavalier attitude towards the casualties of his heinous acts, is difficult to grasp. The former priest appears unmoved by his wrongdoings and does not express genuine remorse nor shy away from discussing his lewd, pedophillic urges.
Towards the end of the film we learn that O'Grady himself had been abused as a child by a member of the clergy and his older brother. With this revelation, it becomes clearer why O'Grady is the monster that he is.
The emotions in this grim documentary are raw and real. Director Amy Berg uses on camera interviews with the now exiled O'Grady and several of his victims to present a compelling moral indictment against the Roman Catholic Church for their blind engagement and silencing of decades of sexual abuse.
The sobering stories of the victims give us a full grasp of the psychological ramifications of childhood sexual abuse, the stunted emotional growth, and the persistent pain and shame that clings throughout the entirety of a victims life. O'Grady's appearances, being equally poignant, provide an intimate glimpse into a child molester's psyche. However, his candor and seemingly cavalier attitude towards the casualties of his heinous acts, is difficult to grasp. The former priest appears unmoved by his wrongdoings and does not express genuine remorse nor shy away from discussing his lewd, pedophillic urges.
Towards the end of the film we learn that O'Grady himself had been abused as a child by a member of the clergy and his older brother. With this revelation, it becomes clearer why O'Grady is the monster that he is.