Diary of a Country Priest

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Scott S As someone who serves in the ministry, this film is painstakingly honest with the internal struggle ministers go through to help people in their congregation, concerns about spirituality, and even their own mental health. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/03/23 Full Review Bex W Emotional yet controlled film detailing the the mental and spiritual torment of a Priest isolated in his faith and parish. Performance from Claude Laydue (Priest) was rather overdramatised and almost embarrassing at times, especially in scenes portraying ill health. Brilliant performance by the young Nicole Mauray (Miss Louise) outshone that of her older co-star in my opinion. The film felt to drag a little during the last 40 mins, so much so I had to complete it in two sittings. However, all-in-all an important film to add to the "Watched" list seeing how admired it is by Tarkovsky, Scorese and other peers, as well as how influential it still is to film makers today. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/22/22 Full Review Audience Member Without feelings but being the feeling itself. Asceticism with humanism. This is obviously better than "A Man Escaped". 9/10 Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review William L If you like your films to address philosophy in a subdued manner that catches you by surprise only on reflection, look elsewhere - Diary of a Country Priest is a solemn but overt discussion of faith and its relationship to practical life, exploring the role of religion as a crutch, a burden, and a scapegoat for tangible events. Here, the screenplay strips away the concept of the Church as a gilded hall and instead places it securely as an concept in the heart open to interpretation, scorn, past experiences, and bias, where some find a comforting sanctuary while others consider it a foolish fantasy. Bresson exercises complete control over the pacing of the film, allowing the dialogue to come surprisingly thick and fast when establishing his woeful protagonist, but letting lines linger in the air when they are allowed to carry greater context and impact (it's the sort of detail that stands out when you're watching a subtitled film). The visual composition is similarly strong, as is typical for the director, giving a melancholic chill even when the sun is shining brightly overhead. Laydu gives a performance worthy of the heavy critical acclaim that has been heaped upon him (particularly given that it was his debut in film; his subsequent career wouldn't attract nearly as much attention); though much of the screentime is taken up wallowing in distress, there is a tremendous capability shown in the sporadic moments of rebellious emotion in which Laydu's nameless priest remembers that he is still alive. There is a certain level of pretentiousness that's hard to shake when considering a black-and-white exploration of faith where nobody cracks a smile, but Diary of a Country Priest still seems to be profound in its themes. (4/5) Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/14/21 Full Review Audience Member an encyclopedia of being a human being! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review andrey k A classic of French cinema with one of the best performances I have ever seen. Claude Laydu's priest is so convincing in his sensitivity and susceptibility. On the one hand this is a harsh and pitiable story of a young priest who is given a parish, his first assignment, who is also very sick which leads him to dire consequences. On the other hand this is a multilayered story of coping with one's own doubts to sustain one's faith, of trying to be useful to the community one's been entrusted. The movie lingers in your memory for a long time after you've watched it, it gets hold of you. That's what happened to me. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Diary of a Country Priest

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