Priest

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Priest

R

1995

1h 37m

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

67%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

The Rev. Greg Pilkington (Linus Roache) is homosexual and a Roman Catholic priest who takes his vows and his love of God seriously. When a young girl confesses to him that her father has been sexually abusing her, Pilkington is overcome with protective rage and feels that he must break the secrecy rules binding the confessional in order to stop the abuse. As the case haunts him, Pilkington is forced to confront the transgression of his lack of celibacy through sex with other men.

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Critics Consensus

A deft directorial debut from Antonia Bird, Priest handles its sensitive subject with care -- despite certain sanctimonious sentiments.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Jun 7, 2022

2/4

It’s as if we were being administered a series of rude slaps.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Feb 16, 2018

Priest shouldn't be missed -- much of it is strong and moving. My reservation is not that it bites off more than it can chew (these days, big teeth are welcome) but that there's something mechanical about its mastication.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Jan 1, 2000

1/4

The unexamined assumptions in the Priest screenplay are shallow and exploitative.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Nov 17, 2025

4/5

…Jimmy McGovern and Antonia Bird's Priest is a striking and powerful story about faith, religion and child abuse…well acted, thought-provoking and provocative…

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Sheila Reid

Women in the Life

May 13, 2022

A slow-moving but captivating look into the soul of a young, sensitive Catholic priest.

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Quentin Crisp

Christopher Street

Apr 21, 2022

All this is such a pity, because Priest could have been such a good and important film.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 11, 2026

Priest = a *4* star Movie!

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Hawk T.

@HawkTim Nov 9, 2025

Priest (1994) really moved me too. It’s another heartbreaking story, yet every moment of it makes sense — raw, painful, and deeply human. The ending made me cry, but it’s absolutely worth watching.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jun 11, 2025

Pride in 1 hour and 37 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can like whoever I please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Louise C

@RT69763679 Dec 9, 2023

I have watched this movie three times, and was still in tears at the beautiful way it ended. Although other countries did not appreciate this storyline, I thought it realistic, particularly at the time it was written. Linus Roache was fabulous in his portrayal of conflicted Father Greg Pilkington. It merits 9/10 I viewed this on Amazon Prime Video in NZ.

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Jun 16, 2020

Wish there was more justice for the girl abused by her father, but I liked this film overall. Some of the parts towards the end were cheesy, but I enjoyed them nonetheless. Not great, and other films tackled similar topics in a better fashion, but definitely not a disappointing watch.

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phil v

@RT66693695 Jun 23, 2018

The film I went to see the most amount of times when it was in cinemas. Beautiful writing/filmmaking that breaks my heart every time.

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Antonia Bird

Director

Linus Roache

Father Greg Pilkington

Tom Wilkinson

Father Matthew Thomas

Cathy Tyson

Maria Kerrigan

James Ellis

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Synopsis

The Rev. Greg Pilkington (Linus Roache) is homosexual and a Roman Catholic priest who takes his vows and his love of God seriously. When a young girl confesses to him that her father has been sexually abusing her, Pilkington is overcome with protective rage and feels that he must break the secrecy rules binding the confessional in order to stop the abuse. As the case haunts him, Pilkington is forced to confront the transgression of his lack of celibacy through sex with other men.

Director: Antonia Bird
Producer: George Faber, Josephine Ward
Screenwriter: Jimmy McGovern
Distributor: Miramax Home Entertainment [us], Miramax Films
Production Co: Miramax Films, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 24, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.8M
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR

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