An issue-based movie set against the backdrop of “the troubles” in Northern Ireland, Marion Comer's Boxed centers on the moral dilemma of a young priest who's brought by mistake (the driver was supposed to fetch an older pastor) to an isolated “safe house” to hear the last confession of an IRA man fingered as a traitor who's being pumped for information prior to being executed. Naturally, the priest tries to save the man, but the situation becomes considerably more complicated when a captured member of the British constabulary is brought in as well. At this point, Boxed becomes a long, tortured ethical argument between the various parties, capped by a) the intervention of the head of the IRA cell, b) the arrival of the pastor, who must decide whether to continue his collaboration with the group, and c) the sudden appearance of British soldiers who surround the house. Boxed is a verbose, claustrophobic film that often feels like a play rather clumsily translated to the screen, and it's further hampered by technically mediocre production values and a few weak performances; still, the film raises moral issues that are worth debating. A strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)
Boxed
Lightyear, 78 min., not rated, DVD: $19.98 Volume 21, Issue 6
Boxed
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: