Deliver Us from Evil

Unsettling and bizarre in a very horrific way, this is an essential piece of documentary filmmaking. The main story of Oliver O'Grady's charges of molestation, coupled with the inclusion of many of his victims and the way it effected their lives, is fascinating and dark on multiple levels. Quite simply, I can't believe this man can admit to all of these horrible things he's done with a straight, smug smile on his face. I'm a severe skeptic when it comes to my own religion and beliefs, and I will say that this piece has helped me affirm my stance against the insanity of organized religion, but the psychological breakdown from all angles of all parties involved in this extended ordeal is revealing and disgusting.

Barring the story itself, Amy Berg does a very interesting job putting this film together. The direction does an admirable job of presenting the facts without pandering too much to one side of the fence. There's a clear right and wrong here but Berg allows the audience to make that distinction. The testimonies and facts are presented to us in black and white, but I really felt that I wasn't being pulled in one direction due to the direction of the piece, rather the disgust I had with O'Grady. It is a shame that people like him exist at all, and that the far more sinister Pope has immunity from any charges of child molestation due to President Bush's allowance.

This is a great documentary because it hits you with all the hard facts and truth of the situation in a cold, honest way. This isn't an easy film to watch, but it's an important one for certain.