It can be difficult to capture — without feeling like propaganda in one direction or another — the Christian struggle of balancing a religiously “pure” and committed life with one that exists in the moment and enjoys the pleasures of the here and now. So often these films are simplified down into situations that glorify one and condemn or trivialize the other. This is the most notable strength of "The Good Catholic" if, unfortunately, one of its few. Rather than trying to smear either lifestyle, writer-director Paul Shoulberg manages to drive home a message emphasizing that balance between the two. But, as it turns out, this reasonable and relatable theme deserves a better movie.
Filmed and set in Bloomington, Indiana, "The Good Catholic" follows a young catholic priest named Daniel (Zachary Spicer) who is finding his bearings in the church as a spiritual leader. Mentoring him are Father Victor (Danny Glover) and Father Ollie (John C. McGinley), the former of which is an old school, by-the-Book priest, and the latter being a more ball-busting, Hoosier-basketball-loving free spirit who wears tennis shoes under his robes.
When local coffee shop musician Jane (Wrenn Schmidt) comes to confession and attempts to turn the tables, asking Daniel to reveal some of his own sins to her, he finds himself suddenly very distracted from his clerical duties and routines. The two bond over the course of several get-togethers, and drama among the three priests ensues.
It’s hard to tell from a synopsis whether "The Good Catholic" would be a quirky comedy or a heavy-handed melodrama, and in several instances, it’s not clear whether the film itself even knows what it wants to be. Thanks mostly to McGinley’s comedy chops (though too obviously ripped from his years as Dr. Cox on "Scrubs" in many cases), the film breathes a bit of rebellious fun into the church life on display.
That said, a few too many jokes are given silent pauses, not unlike a sitcom might do in order to leave space for the laugh track. These comedic moments often feel out of place amid scenes that so sappily try to attempt provocative, emotional discussion. In a heated dinner conversation between Daniel and Father Victor about whether or not Daniel feels like his purpose is to serve God, Father Ollie’s snide, off-the-cuff interjections about what’s on the menu for dessert feel almost disrespectful to the film’s own priorities as an investigation into the nuances of faith.
Performances would be adequate only for a student-film-level production, although McGinley does shine in a few moments (seriously, get the man a good script and a tragic character; he could carry a high-profile drama). The script and a lack of direction would appear to be the biggest culprits for why the acting seems a bit uninteresting.
Additionally, little is done to serve the themes from a visual standpoint. Filmed entirely handheld, and without any sense for purposeful framing and shot choice, "The Good Catholic" feels too often like a primetime cable series. Between dialogue scenes, the film shifts into music-video mode, playing somber piano and vocal tracks over silent shots of everyday scenes.
It’s as if Shoulberg wasn’t sure how to capture what Daniel was thinking about in between his most important conversations of the day, other than to have someone sing it out loud. To boot, low contrast and saturation make "The Good Catholic" a bore to look at.
If there’s anything about"The Good Catholic" that makes it worth seeing, it would be its message of balance between the spiritual and the worldly. Unfortunately, it’s hard to recommend a 100-minute film for nothing more than a bit of commentary that can be picked up on in the final 10 minutes. I guess seeing McGinley do some solid acting work would be a plus, too. Maybe just try to find his scenes on YouTube in a few months; skip the trip to the theater.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENzlngM8xEs&w=585