Deliver Us from Evil

Amy Berg's Oscar-nominated documentary examines the case of Father Oliver O'Grady, a priest in central California during the 1970s and ‘80s, who abused scores of youngsters of both sexes while being transferred from parish to parish by Bishop Roger Mahoney, now the current archbishop of Los Angeles. O'Grady was eventually accused, tried, and convicted—serving seven years in prison before returning to his native Ireland—but the victims' scars remain and their search for justice has proven an embarrassing fact of life for the American church for two decades. The barebones story, sad to say, is familiar, and some of the material drawn from journalistic accounts and filmed court depositions is presented in a fairly rote manner. But two aspects of Berg's film make it exceptional: the shattering personal testimony of three of the victims, and—even more remarkable—extensive interview segments with O'Grady himself, a strange, reflective man who acknowledges his transgressions in an oddly remote manner that suggests he's not even conscious of the horrors to which he's confessing. While technically ordinary, Deliver Us from Evil is an extraordinary film, providing insight into a timely if also ugly subject of interest both to Catholics and society at large. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Amy Berg and producer-editor Matthew Cooke, 11 deleted scenes with optional commentary and an audio intro (23 min.), a 10-minute “Bible vs. Church” featurette with optional commentary and an audio intro, an alternate ending with optional commentary (2 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for one of 2006's best documentaries.] (F. Swietek)