'Deliver Us from Evil' Chilling, by Liz Braun, Jam! Showbiz, October 27, 2006

'Deliver Us from Evil' Chilling

By Liz Braun
Jam! Showbiz
October 27, 2006

http://jam.canoe.ca/Movies/Reviews/D/Deliver_Us_From_Evil/2006/10/27/2144944.html

PLOT: Documentary centres on convicted pedophile Father Oliver O'Grady, formerly of California, and also investigates the devastating, lasting effects of clergy abuse upon victims -- and the heinous cover-up orchestrated by the Catholic Church.

After the Boston clergy scandals of 2002, you'd think there was nothing else to know about pedophile priests and corruption in the Catholic Church.

Think again.

Deliver Us From Evil is a chilling new documentary about sexual abuse, ruined lives and a cover-up scandal that reaches all the way to the Vatican.

The film is a 90-minute foray into the betrayal of the faithful (in body, mind and soul) by the religious leaders they welcomed into their homes and relied upon for life guidance. The film, which reduced a roomful of jaded film critics to tears, could literally make you sick.

Deliver Us From Evil introduces Father Oliver O'Grady, an Irish priest straight out of Central Casting, with the genial demeanor and lilting voice and all. Very Barry Fitzgerald.

O'Grady is a vicious sexual predator; you get to hear him refer to what he did to one of his little victims as "being affectionate with him."

The film then introduces some of O'Grady's victims over the 20 years he was able to abuse children in the state of California.

Each time a complaint was registered against the pedophile priest, the Catholic Church quietly moved him to a new parish.

Jesus wept.

O'Grady victimized entire families, literally and figuratively. He served seven years in prison before he moved back to Ireland, and his on-camera interviews are the centre of this film.

Deliver Us From Evil also investigates the Catholic Church hierarchy and the leaders involved in covering up the sins of child-abusing clergy. That's a bit of an eye-opener. Cardinal Mahoney of California doesn't look so good in Deliver Us From Evil, but then again, neither does Pope Benedict.

The film offers some interesting Church history, shows recent attempts to blame gay priests for the clergy abuse scandal, and introduces Father Tom Doyle, the religious leader who has reached out to abuse victims and spoken up in the church on their behalf.

And was fired for his efforts.

Deliver Us From Evil is a first film from news producer Amy Berg and is not without flaws.

The facts about Father O'Grady alone could be a movie, and at times the documentary seems to have almost too much material to handle properly.

It's a small complaint.

BOTTOM LINE: Fascinating, but difficult to look at. This film about the abuse of power and corruption in the institutional Catholic Church should be required viewing.