Mass Appeal

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Mass Appeal

PG

1984

1h 40m

Drama

LGBTQ+

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100%

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5 Reviews

80%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Father Tim Farley (Jack Lemmon), the popular priest of a conservative Roman Catholic parish, is challenged by upstart liberal seminary student Mark Dolson (Zeljko Ivanek). Farley is popular because he gives the parish what it wants, but Dolson's questioning of church policy conflicts with his easygoing and passive regard for rules. When the monsignor (Charles Durning) places newly ordained Deacon Dolson in Farley's parish, hoping Dolson will conform, it is Farley who reconsiders church dogma.

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Michael Bronski

Gay Community News (Boston)

Raises provocative questions and then gently pushes them to the side to give us an easy-to-swallow, palatable and heartwarming story.

Aug 30, 2022

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Peter Canavese

Celluloid Dreams

The play has been opened up very effectively for the screen in a very good script and an interesting story with an excellent cast. (Kino Lorber Studio Classics blu-ray review).

Rated: 3/4

Jan 18, 2022

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Frank J. Avella

Edge Media Network

I found parts of it powerful, mostly thanks to Lemmon's engaging and committed performance.

Rated: B-

Dec 14, 2021

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

It tries to put a pleasant face on the Catholic Church.

Rated: B-

Nov 21, 2005

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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

A deeply religious movie about the tricky ways our lives are graced by God.

Jul 23, 2003

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rob d

A remarkably inventive and well-written dramatic comedy. I think Jack Lemmon gives a notable performance as Father Farley, a much-admired but flawed man of the cloth who has been lulled into an inebriated state of complacency and dishonesty. Z. Ivanek plays a passionate and courageously outspoken deacon with a fiercely independent mind. And it is the relationship between these two sublime lunatics that forms the heart of the story. It gives fresh heart to encounter two characters (even if they are fictive) who are willing to stand up for what they believe to be true and right, despite the possible consequences to their careers. Especially when I find myself swimming in a vast, gray ocean of a seemingly endless number of time-serving lemmings.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/02/24

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Alec B

It's an interesting setup and the performances are great but it doesn't feel like the movie finds a way to completely execute its ideas.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/24

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Audience Member

The world will never again see talent that matches that of Jack Lemon.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

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Audience Member

So real. Pretty brilliant. And quite funny.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

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bill k

Marvelous film bringing up timeless issues that still remain unresolved in the Roman church.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/14/14

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Audience Member

Mass Appeal stars Jack Lemmon, as a priest who's been in this long enough to bend the rules. He takes Mark Dolson under his wing, an extreme progressive who never sees a middle ground. The character Mark is poorly drafted, he thinks lying is an inexcusable sin, but has openly stated that he believes Jesus was gay for John. He's to much of a contradiction, and a character that's hard to like, but then again everyone but Jack Lemmon played over the top characters in this film. Mass Appeal has a cozy mood as you can just sit back and watch, it's not an essential church drama, but does beg a few important questions.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

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Glenn Jordan

Director

Jack Lemmon

Father Tim Farley

Željko Ivanek

Mark Dolson

Charles Durning

Monsignor Thomas Burke

Louise Latham

Margaret

Lois De Banzie

Mrs. Dolson

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Synopsis

Father Tim Farley (Jack Lemmon), the popular priest of a conservative Roman Catholic parish, is challenged by upstart liberal seminary student Mark Dolson (Zeljko Ivanek). Farley is popular because he gives the parish what it wants, but Dolson's questioning of church policy conflicts with his easygoing and passive regard for rules. When the monsignor (Charles Durning) places newly ordained Deacon Dolson in Farley's parish, hoping Dolson will conform, it is Farley who reconsiders church dogma.

Director: Glenn Jordan
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 7, 2015
Runtime: 1h 40m
Sound Mix: Stereo

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