I saw this film at the Toronto Film Festival, and I am still thinking about it a day later. I was raised a Catholic, and I think that this film should be required viewing for all Catholics. Amy Berg has constructed a documentary that is not only about the abuse of children and their families by an individual priest; it is also about the evil and politics that exist within the institution of the church and that have allowed (and continue to allow) horrible abuses to occur. It actually hurt to watch this film, but I did not walk out of the theatre with a sense of defeat. I left with a sense of resolve, knowing that we need to take the CHURCH back from the politicians masquerading as bishops and cardinals and, yes, even the pope.
62 Reviews
Raw emotions and insights into pain and denial
billmil4 November 2006
I saw this movie tonight and found it excellent. Parts of this movie made my skin crawl, others moved me to tears. The sight of a sixty year old man, with a deep bellowing voice, weep in anguish at the pain his daughter went through and the deception the whole family experienced: this touched me deeply.
This movie also offered some helpful insights in alternating between both the abused and the abuser looking back on the abuse. The abuser looks back on it w/ detached shame and remorse. The victims and their families rage with intense, fresh pain despite the decades.
The ray of hope in this movie is Father Thomas Doyle, a priest who reaches out to the families with compassion, hugs, apologies. He's articulate and knowledgeable about church polity and politics as well as the "spiritual rape" that occurs when kids are abused by a religious leader; and he knows his Jesus, that is, he shows Christ talked about "suffering little children to come to me..for such is the kingdom of God."
I still don't understand how the church leadership in California (i.e. in this specific case) leadership forgot this teaching of Jesus regarding children: "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea."
I wish this topic would have come up more in the film.
Addendum: * My thoughts led me back to this film as I recently learned that someone had abused one of my former students. "Deliver us from evil" came immediately to mind; this movie woke me up to the fact that a nice/charming/well-mannered/harmless-looking/great-with-kids person can really be dangerous evil and treacherous, i.e. "prowling around like a roaring lion." For this reason, I think every adult should see this movie.
(Just today I read how a man in Chicago abused a girl after befriending her mom. "She said their friendship grew to the point where she allowed him to take her son and daughter on outings." I cannot but think that if either the mom/neighbor/relative/friend saw this movie someone might have said uttered a word of caution which could have prevented such a tragedy).
* Clearly the priests who shuffled around the abusers (and effectively covered up these scandals), underestimated the trauma and damage caused by abuse. But just what *were* they thinking? "They won't remember it." "They'll get over it". Yet the testimony of the people in this movie show that the long-term damage is enormous. What really went on in the heads of the leadership? I'd like to know.
This movie also offered some helpful insights in alternating between both the abused and the abuser looking back on the abuse. The abuser looks back on it w/ detached shame and remorse. The victims and their families rage with intense, fresh pain despite the decades.
The ray of hope in this movie is Father Thomas Doyle, a priest who reaches out to the families with compassion, hugs, apologies. He's articulate and knowledgeable about church polity and politics as well as the "spiritual rape" that occurs when kids are abused by a religious leader; and he knows his Jesus, that is, he shows Christ talked about "suffering little children to come to me..for such is the kingdom of God."
I still don't understand how the church leadership in California (i.e. in this specific case) leadership forgot this teaching of Jesus regarding children: "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea."
I wish this topic would have come up more in the film.
Addendum: * My thoughts led me back to this film as I recently learned that someone had abused one of my former students. "Deliver us from evil" came immediately to mind; this movie woke me up to the fact that a nice/charming/well-mannered/harmless-looking/great-with-kids person can really be dangerous evil and treacherous, i.e. "prowling around like a roaring lion." For this reason, I think every adult should see this movie.
(Just today I read how a man in Chicago abused a girl after befriending her mom. "She said their friendship grew to the point where she allowed him to take her son and daughter on outings." I cannot but think that if either the mom/neighbor/relative/friend saw this movie someone might have said uttered a word of caution which could have prevented such a tragedy).
* Clearly the priests who shuffled around the abusers (and effectively covered up these scandals), underestimated the trauma and damage caused by abuse. But just what *were* they thinking? "They won't remember it." "They'll get over it". Yet the testimony of the people in this movie show that the long-term damage is enormous. What really went on in the heads of the leadership? I'd like to know.
The Truth Shall Set You Free
Orvonton26 February 2011
You judge a tree by its fruit. This documentary succeeds in letting viewers behold this dark little secret that the Catholic Church hopes you will never find out about: The rotting fruit of their sin-harvest that comes from unspeakably heinous crimes against children that are tolerated by them as being business-as-usual! Love is the desire to do good to others but that is the antithesis of all that the Catholic Church represents as it was portrayed in this documentary and as revealed by fearless journalists all over the world who have courageously accepted the bold challenge to find the truth no matter where it takes them and then tell it like it is.
Gripping, Disturbing and Not to be Missed
Jaymay1 December 2006
In my opinion, this film is a front-runner for the Oscar for Best Documentary for 2006.
It's absolutely riveting. If you are a fan of "Silence of the Lambs," you should see this because Oliver O'Grady is just as chilling as Hannibal Lecter -- more so because he is real. Filmmaker Amy Berg did a news piece on O'Grady, a Catholic priest who raped dozens -- possibly hundreds -- of children in California. On a whim, she called him in his exile in Ireland and got him to agree to an extensive three day interview. It is a confession unlike any other.
On one level, Deliver Us From Evil is a righteous indictment of the Catholic Church: its inaction, its enabling, its bureaucracy, its male-dominated backwardness.
At the same time, the film is a profile of some incredibly decent people: Catholic parents and children who were victims in this rampage. Their character is inspiring -- their pain is as raw as anything you will ever see on film.
Finally, it's the study about the way a psychopath can play every human emotion to his own advantage.
There is Hell to pay for this man's sins. And some victims are living that hell every day.
It's absolutely riveting. If you are a fan of "Silence of the Lambs," you should see this because Oliver O'Grady is just as chilling as Hannibal Lecter -- more so because he is real. Filmmaker Amy Berg did a news piece on O'Grady, a Catholic priest who raped dozens -- possibly hundreds -- of children in California. On a whim, she called him in his exile in Ireland and got him to agree to an extensive three day interview. It is a confession unlike any other.
On one level, Deliver Us From Evil is a righteous indictment of the Catholic Church: its inaction, its enabling, its bureaucracy, its male-dominated backwardness.
At the same time, the film is a profile of some incredibly decent people: Catholic parents and children who were victims in this rampage. Their character is inspiring -- their pain is as raw as anything you will ever see on film.
Finally, it's the study about the way a psychopath can play every human emotion to his own advantage.
There is Hell to pay for this man's sins. And some victims are living that hell every day.
Long overdue expose of the hierarchy and their vow of obedience
jjhendron26 November 2006
I cannot adequately express my sincere sympathy for the victims of clergy abuse. I was totally disgusted with the responses offered by the bishops/monsignor and archbishop/cardinal in regard to their knowledge of abuse by Oliver Grady. How can all these priests keep quiet about these crimes against children? They are not ignorant of this. I am Catholic, and I am the Church as are all the people. These men do not follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ; and we (the real Church) better start taking responsibility for bringing the hierarchy to task. Thank you to the survivors, their families, Amy Berg and all those who are working so hard to raise our consciousness to these crimes, and the truth about our leaders. This isn't the end of the Catholic church. It is the end of the way we've known it; and it's about time.
Excellent eye-opening documentary
gladee3 November 2006
I am sure many will never take the opportunity to see this film thinking it biased toward the church. Although it will be a painful experience for devoted catholics it is mandatory that they be aware of the deception of their prelates in the cover-up of clergy sexual abuse. The intransigence of the hierarchy is detailed and horrifying. Its machinations to cover up the crimes against the children who they had an obligation to protect and nourish would be loathsome enough in secular society but they are an abomination in the church. There are a few voices that are trying to stimulate reform in the church but the outlook is grim.
Shocker
dedrac322 June 2006
This was a shocking account of the political sickness that trickles through our world in schools and, yes, of all places, our Churches. Not a date movie. Similar to Schindler's List, the gripping tales told by Catholic Religious leaders and victims of child molestation in the Church held me in suspense of reality and opened my eyes to the scale and duration of the problem, which still exists in many places today. The disturbing part was the institutional course of action and lack of action taken when high leaders were made aware of the problem and asked for help by BOTH sexual victims AND sexual offenders. As with many parts of systematic human intervention, the easiest thing to do was to ignore or divert and continue. This film is an eye opener. I do not recommend it for children 12 years or younger.
A truly outstanding documentary
Gordon-117 December 2007
This is a documentary to expose the sexual abuse done by catholic clergymen to children, and to expose the subsequent systematic cover up done by the church.
Due to the disturbing nature of the film, it is hard not to judge it without reference to morals. It is wrong to abuse children. I never imagined the extent of betrayal and deceit in the catholic priests' scandal. It is shocking, scary and disgusting.
Talking about the film proper, I think it is very nicely done. How Jyono's family turns from support to anger is touchingly portrayed. Putting Nancy's trauma with Jyono's support seem to give a balanced picture of the situation. That is, until later, when the truth is revealed. Anne Jyono's trauma is central to the film, because Anne still has faith despite all the wrongs done to her. The most heartbreaking scene in the film is when Anne breaks down after hearing her father lost faith and announces that "There is no God".
With the actual convict also appearing to give interview, I find "Deliver Us From Evil" the most convincing and truthful. It is sad to see that O'Grady's guilt is very superficial.
A truly outstanding film is able to evokes a plethora of emotions. Especially sadness, disgust, sympathy. "Deliver Us From Evil" is able to do all these. It seamlessly takes viewers into a journey of trauma and despair of the victims; the guilt of the family members for being to trusting; deceit and ruthless lies to cover things up.
The other brave souls, who overcome all the obstacles and let the world know about these heinous crimes, are remarkable. The people who funded and worked on this film are remarkable. They face an insurmountable giant and they are not afraid to speak out. They need to let the world know. This film is shocking, touching and saddening. It breaks my heart to see hundreds of thousands of lives wrecked by their trusted authority figure. I hope "Deliver Us From Evil" will deliver children away from evil.
Due to the disturbing nature of the film, it is hard not to judge it without reference to morals. It is wrong to abuse children. I never imagined the extent of betrayal and deceit in the catholic priests' scandal. It is shocking, scary and disgusting.
Talking about the film proper, I think it is very nicely done. How Jyono's family turns from support to anger is touchingly portrayed. Putting Nancy's trauma with Jyono's support seem to give a balanced picture of the situation. That is, until later, when the truth is revealed. Anne Jyono's trauma is central to the film, because Anne still has faith despite all the wrongs done to her. The most heartbreaking scene in the film is when Anne breaks down after hearing her father lost faith and announces that "There is no God".
With the actual convict also appearing to give interview, I find "Deliver Us From Evil" the most convincing and truthful. It is sad to see that O'Grady's guilt is very superficial.
A truly outstanding film is able to evokes a plethora of emotions. Especially sadness, disgust, sympathy. "Deliver Us From Evil" is able to do all these. It seamlessly takes viewers into a journey of trauma and despair of the victims; the guilt of the family members for being to trusting; deceit and ruthless lies to cover things up.
The other brave souls, who overcome all the obstacles and let the world know about these heinous crimes, are remarkable. The people who funded and worked on this film are remarkable. They face an insurmountable giant and they are not afraid to speak out. They need to let the world know. This film is shocking, touching and saddening. It breaks my heart to see hundreds of thousands of lives wrecked by their trusted authority figure. I hope "Deliver Us From Evil" will deliver children away from evil.
Subject matter absolutely gripping
lhhung_himself4 July 2007
This is a very powerful documentary. The filmmaker, Amy Berg, wisely allowed the players to tell the story. What is could be more eloquent than a father's tears that he was unable to protect his daughter or an impish smile on a pedophile as he writes his notes of apology, or the lawyer advising his client, a cardinal, not to answer how it was possible to not remember repeated cases of abuse among his clergy. Amazing stuff.
Other parts of the film are not so good. Ms Berg, somewhat understandably, can not seem to avoid editorializing by filming part of the interview with the pedophile near a playground or shooting the descent into hell sequence at the beginning. Also, too much time was spent with the renegade reformer Catholic priest and his views which are not Catholic ones, as initially presented. These and other Michael Moore type moments in the film are minor quibbles, and for the most part, the story is poignantly told by the participants.
Strangely enough, the major villain is not the creepy pedophile, O'Grady. Although an obvious manipulator and liar (like most pedophiles he *claims* he was abused as a boy by both his siblings and his priest whose name he can't recall...) he seems to be very simple and perhaps a bit mentally challenged. Much worse is the cardinal who secured his position by allowing and at least 100 other priests to continue their abuse and the institution that allows it to continue.
Other parts of the film are not so good. Ms Berg, somewhat understandably, can not seem to avoid editorializing by filming part of the interview with the pedophile near a playground or shooting the descent into hell sequence at the beginning. Also, too much time was spent with the renegade reformer Catholic priest and his views which are not Catholic ones, as initially presented. These and other Michael Moore type moments in the film are minor quibbles, and for the most part, the story is poignantly told by the participants.
Strangely enough, the major villain is not the creepy pedophile, O'Grady. Although an obvious manipulator and liar (like most pedophiles he *claims* he was abused as a boy by both his siblings and his priest whose name he can't recall...) he seems to be very simple and perhaps a bit mentally challenged. Much worse is the cardinal who secured his position by allowing and at least 100 other priests to continue their abuse and the institution that allows it to continue.
Powerful
MikeyB179314 August 2011
This is mighty strong documentary on the abuse of children by the Catholic Church and its cover-up. I read elsewhere that the term "abuse" is a euphemism for much more sordid acts; namely the physical rape of an innocent child.
This film examines the history of one pedophile priest in the United States and how his acts were simply covered-up by the Catholic hierarchy. He performed innumerable acts on both male and female children. Even though some parents reported this to the Catholic ministry, it was only when police officials became involved that he was arrested. There are many interviews with both the victims and those in the Church hierarchy who covered it up, as well as the pedophile himself.
So are we provided with many different angles. The documentary never becomes accusatory in itself – but it allows us to view the heart-wrenching lives of the victims and their families. They try to extract an apology from the Vatican, but this is all in vain.
It even brings us to view the life of this eerie pedophile, not presented as evil incarnate; but as a human being with a severe psychological problem. At times you can feel his ingratiating performance even as he acknowledges the severity of what he has done. This is a rare film that deals with both oppressor and oppressed.
The film is about several things: the nature of the evil that exists in this pedophile, the corruption of the Catholic Church, the Church's refusal to deal with sexual issues and admit its crimes against humanity, but most of all it is about the torment of the victims who are left alone with their families to struggle on with their lives. This documentary contains some very emotional scenes and is very well made.
This film examines the history of one pedophile priest in the United States and how his acts were simply covered-up by the Catholic hierarchy. He performed innumerable acts on both male and female children. Even though some parents reported this to the Catholic ministry, it was only when police officials became involved that he was arrested. There are many interviews with both the victims and those in the Church hierarchy who covered it up, as well as the pedophile himself.
So are we provided with many different angles. The documentary never becomes accusatory in itself – but it allows us to view the heart-wrenching lives of the victims and their families. They try to extract an apology from the Vatican, but this is all in vain.
It even brings us to view the life of this eerie pedophile, not presented as evil incarnate; but as a human being with a severe psychological problem. At times you can feel his ingratiating performance even as he acknowledges the severity of what he has done. This is a rare film that deals with both oppressor and oppressed.
The film is about several things: the nature of the evil that exists in this pedophile, the corruption of the Catholic Church, the Church's refusal to deal with sexual issues and admit its crimes against humanity, but most of all it is about the torment of the victims who are left alone with their families to struggle on with their lives. This documentary contains some very emotional scenes and is very well made.
Lead Us Not Into Temptation
sol-9 February 2017
Aptly titled, this American documentary details how the Catholic Church turned a blind eye to one of its priests molesting children, instead opting to move him from parish to parish, only for him to re-offend. While the subject matter is grim, the film admirably never once comes across as angry and it is a refreshingly unbiased affair given the controversial topic. As director Amy Berg includes both involves with the priest in question, his victims and their families, it is left up to the individual viewer to judge whether or not he feels remorse. As the priest in question, Father Oliver O'Grady makes for a fascinating (if deplorable) interviewee, lamenting the fact that he felt a "need to reach out to someone" and agreeing that his actions were wrong; "my life has been a failure" he candidly admits. Berg leaves the most heartbreaking moments for the victim's families though with one distraught father regretting that he told his daughter that he would kill anyone whoever hurt her - something she took literally and therefore as a child decided never to speak up. The documentary loses some focus towards the end, going off on a tangent about celibacy leading to child abuse (an unlikely connection that has been hypothesised but never yet proved); the film could have also benefited from O'Grady having more screen time. This is, however, chiefly a film about his victims and their families rather than O'Grady himself, and considering this, the film leaves an indelible impact, and remarkably so given the restraint Berg shows towards getting angry about what happened.
Absolutely riveting
LeRoyMarko9 September 2006
We've known for a while now that what goes on in the confessional is not always the will of God. But the way this documentary is put together, it just moves you deep inside. The film is unassuming at first but is gathering a lot of steam from segment to segment. I was choked with emotions when one victim's father is expressing his rage. I was fighting tears during most of the film. It was hard not be moved considering the victims' plight and considering the very priest that presided over my wedding was himself imprisoned for sexual assaults committed in the past. Some will say that Amy Berg's documentary paints a one-sided pretty ugly picture of the Catholic Church. But the Church didn't always help itself when expressing doubt, ignoring or by just refuting cases of abuse committed by priests. The director was there at the premiere of her documentary at the Toronto International Film Festival. It was interesting to hear her talk about Father O'Grady. For her, it seems that by agreeing to be interviewed for this film, it was some kind of a way to be freed from whatever guilt he may have. You can sense that this guy puts a lot of importance in showmanship. Seen at the Varsity, during the Toronto International Film Festival, on September 9th, 2006.
88/100 (***½)
88/100 (***½)
O'Grady upset some, but deeply remorsefulI don't think so
jkbonner17 November 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Attn: Contains spoilers
First, although O'Grady did have the courage to participate in the making of this film, and although he commented several times that the molestation events should never have occurred, still, he came across as a man not fully comprehending the great harm that he had done to the children he molested, many of whom are now grown adults, nor to their families. His attitude conveyed in the film was, if not insouciant, at least shallow: Well, I did a bad thing and I'm sorry, so I'll write a letter to my victims apologizing and then we can all get on with our lives. Although not phony, it certainly didn't strike me that he felt any deep remorse for what he had done.
Several other comments are these: 1) We don't learn until the last third of the movie that O'Grady himself was a victim of abuse, chiefly by his older brother (Would it have been pertinent if he had participated in the film?) but also by a priest whose name O'Grady had either forgotten or repressed. This is not surprising in itself since most pedophiles have a history of abuse, but O'Grady didn't seem to draw the connection of these experiences with his own problem. Amazing! 2) It is clear that several members of the higher clergy of the Roman Catholic Church were cognizant of O'Grady's criminal activities. Rather than turn him over to the police and drum him out of the Church, they merely shuffled him around from parish to parish. The topping on the cake, so to speak, was when Mahony appointed O'Grady as the sole priest in charge of a parish (San Andreas in Calaveras County, CA). Ultimately, the Roman Catholic Church failed utterly to address the problem, and it is clear by the activities of Father Tom Doyle that it still has failed to come to grips with the issue. The Church's behavior exhibits a perfect example of the ostrich effect: Stick your head in the sand and maybe the whole problem will blow away with the wind. 3) The film did bring out the idea of the possibility of the Roman Catholic clergy failing to distinguish among different levels of sexual activity that a priest might have, lumping them all together under "illicit sex". This suggests that they would equate sex with an adult female as equivalent to sex with a minor, when clearly what must be distinguished is the maturity and complicity of the person with whom the priest engages in a sexual act (assuming that he indeed do so). 4) It also strongly suggests that seminarians, particularly those entering the Roman Catholic priesthood, undergo some sort of psychological evaluation by a competent person to determine if they are fit material for the priesthood. 5) The other issue that rose in my mind watching the movie was whether pedophilia is as widespread among clerics of other Christian sects and non-Christian clerics. Even if a man be allowed to marry, as is the case with most Protestant pastors, Eastern Orthodox priests, and Jewish rabbis, a pedophile is attracted to young children, and the fact that he's married or not probably doesn't bear on his predilection from a psychological standpoint. 6) Given that the film focused on a Roman Catholic priest (at the time he committed the molestations) and who is still a practicing Roman Catholic, no one asked O'Grady the obvious questions that had been going through my mind: Mr. O'Grady, when you were contemplating molesting a child, were you not aware that by so doing you were committing a mortal sin? And by carrying through your thought to an overt act, were you not aware that you were committing an even more heinous mortal sin? Surprisingly, no one asked O'Grady these questions.
First, although O'Grady did have the courage to participate in the making of this film, and although he commented several times that the molestation events should never have occurred, still, he came across as a man not fully comprehending the great harm that he had done to the children he molested, many of whom are now grown adults, nor to their families. His attitude conveyed in the film was, if not insouciant, at least shallow: Well, I did a bad thing and I'm sorry, so I'll write a letter to my victims apologizing and then we can all get on with our lives. Although not phony, it certainly didn't strike me that he felt any deep remorse for what he had done.
Several other comments are these: 1) We don't learn until the last third of the movie that O'Grady himself was a victim of abuse, chiefly by his older brother (Would it have been pertinent if he had participated in the film?) but also by a priest whose name O'Grady had either forgotten or repressed. This is not surprising in itself since most pedophiles have a history of abuse, but O'Grady didn't seem to draw the connection of these experiences with his own problem. Amazing! 2) It is clear that several members of the higher clergy of the Roman Catholic Church were cognizant of O'Grady's criminal activities. Rather than turn him over to the police and drum him out of the Church, they merely shuffled him around from parish to parish. The topping on the cake, so to speak, was when Mahony appointed O'Grady as the sole priest in charge of a parish (San Andreas in Calaveras County, CA). Ultimately, the Roman Catholic Church failed utterly to address the problem, and it is clear by the activities of Father Tom Doyle that it still has failed to come to grips with the issue. The Church's behavior exhibits a perfect example of the ostrich effect: Stick your head in the sand and maybe the whole problem will blow away with the wind. 3) The film did bring out the idea of the possibility of the Roman Catholic clergy failing to distinguish among different levels of sexual activity that a priest might have, lumping them all together under "illicit sex". This suggests that they would equate sex with an adult female as equivalent to sex with a minor, when clearly what must be distinguished is the maturity and complicity of the person with whom the priest engages in a sexual act (assuming that he indeed do so). 4) It also strongly suggests that seminarians, particularly those entering the Roman Catholic priesthood, undergo some sort of psychological evaluation by a competent person to determine if they are fit material for the priesthood. 5) The other issue that rose in my mind watching the movie was whether pedophilia is as widespread among clerics of other Christian sects and non-Christian clerics. Even if a man be allowed to marry, as is the case with most Protestant pastors, Eastern Orthodox priests, and Jewish rabbis, a pedophile is attracted to young children, and the fact that he's married or not probably doesn't bear on his predilection from a psychological standpoint. 6) Given that the film focused on a Roman Catholic priest (at the time he committed the molestations) and who is still a practicing Roman Catholic, no one asked O'Grady the obvious questions that had been going through my mind: Mr. O'Grady, when you were contemplating molesting a child, were you not aware that by so doing you were committing a mortal sin? And by carrying through your thought to an overt act, were you not aware that you were committing an even more heinous mortal sin? Surprisingly, no one asked O'Grady these questions.
LET THE VICTIMS SPEAK!!!
bronzesrv1 February 2020
Why in the hell is this disgusting vile human being telling his side of the story in a damned playground? I had to stop the movie I was so angry. The monster is standing there talking about how attracted he is to children in their bathing suits, underwear or his favorite, wearing nothing at all. And they have kids running around him! You see a little boy run right past him while he's speaking this trash! They bleeped out the little boy's face but still! You can also hear children's voices as well. What was the purpose of this!? This made me so angry! I noticed another person commented on this as well. Also I noticed they are not letting the victims speak as much as they are letting this monster speak. I will not finish this. The one star is for the victims and their families that did speak, that could not have been easy to sit there in front of cameras and live this pain all over again. I commend them, again the documentary should have been focused more on them and not the monster.
An Awesome Documentary!
choralman2200015 May 2007
I had never been aware of this movie but happened upon the title here on IMDb by accident. God DOES work in mysterious ways, because He may have led me to this great film.
I'm not Roman Catholic, but I am a Christian. However, whether one is "religious" or not should have no effect on a basic understanding of right and wrong/good and evil. It is wrong to molest anyone, let alone children. This thoughtful documentary by Ms. Berg will tear at your heart as you view it. There are no magic answers here. The film will make no one feel "better" about what has gone in in the Catholic church for centuries. What the film WILL do is help you better understand the life-long pain that sexual abuse brings not only directly to the victim, but indirectly to families and even future relationships.
Ms. Berg's film brings sexual abuse to the viewer in a truthful and compassionate way that I've never seen before. Not that there has never been sexual abuse of children by a Baptist minister or Jewish Rabbi or others who wear the "cloth" of clergy...I'm sure there has been...but the systematic cover up by the Roman Catholic church should be an embarrassment to all officials in the Church, from the Pope down to the Parish Priest.
Every seminary student, regardless of his or her religion, should be required to see this movie. Every Roman Catholic should see this movie. Everyone who breaths air should see this movie and talk about it to everyone else.
I'm not Roman Catholic, but I am a Christian. However, whether one is "religious" or not should have no effect on a basic understanding of right and wrong/good and evil. It is wrong to molest anyone, let alone children. This thoughtful documentary by Ms. Berg will tear at your heart as you view it. There are no magic answers here. The film will make no one feel "better" about what has gone in in the Catholic church for centuries. What the film WILL do is help you better understand the life-long pain that sexual abuse brings not only directly to the victim, but indirectly to families and even future relationships.
Ms. Berg's film brings sexual abuse to the viewer in a truthful and compassionate way that I've never seen before. Not that there has never been sexual abuse of children by a Baptist minister or Jewish Rabbi or others who wear the "cloth" of clergy...I'm sure there has been...but the systematic cover up by the Roman Catholic church should be an embarrassment to all officials in the Church, from the Pope down to the Parish Priest.
Every seminary student, regardless of his or her religion, should be required to see this movie. Every Roman Catholic should see this movie. Everyone who breaths air should see this movie and talk about it to everyone else.
An important doc.
PopCulturedwithMovieMike29 January 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Deliver Us From Evil is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. In fact, it might be one the best movies period.
I remember watching Ebert & Roeper review this film back in 2006. I wanted to see it, but since documentaries are hard to find in the theater, I had to wait until it came out on DVD. One thing led to another and I totally forgot about the movie.
Recently, I started thinking about it again but I couldn't remember the name. I'm glad I tracked it down because it is truly an amazing film.
I'm a Catholic and went to Catholic schools from Kindergarten through high school. That being said, you don't have to be Catholic to watch this film. You don't even have to be religious.
Simply put, everybody should see this movie.
For those who don't know, Deliver Us From Evil chronicles pedophile priest Oliver O' Grady. The film soon unfolds into a decades long conspiracy by the church to cover up O 'Grady's actions.
The scary thing about this film is that you're not really sure who the bigger villain is. Is it Father O' Grady, a priest who rapes and molests children? Or is the true villain the Bishops and Monsignors who turned a blind eye and just moved O' Grady from parish to parish.
Possibly the most disturbing aspect of the film is that while watching Father O' Grady discuss his actions, it's hard to tell if he really believes that what he did was wrong.
He's so matter of fact and creepy, you just want to jump through the TV and strangle him.
Deliver Us From Evil is shocking in the sense of how high up the conspiracy goes. The Pope is literally an accomplice in cases such at this.
More than anything, the one theme I came away with after watching Deliver Us From Evil is that the Church is a business, and just like everything else in the world, is wrapped up in politics more than anything else.
I remember watching Ebert & Roeper review this film back in 2006. I wanted to see it, but since documentaries are hard to find in the theater, I had to wait until it came out on DVD. One thing led to another and I totally forgot about the movie.
Recently, I started thinking about it again but I couldn't remember the name. I'm glad I tracked it down because it is truly an amazing film.
I'm a Catholic and went to Catholic schools from Kindergarten through high school. That being said, you don't have to be Catholic to watch this film. You don't even have to be religious.
Simply put, everybody should see this movie.
For those who don't know, Deliver Us From Evil chronicles pedophile priest Oliver O' Grady. The film soon unfolds into a decades long conspiracy by the church to cover up O 'Grady's actions.
The scary thing about this film is that you're not really sure who the bigger villain is. Is it Father O' Grady, a priest who rapes and molests children? Or is the true villain the Bishops and Monsignors who turned a blind eye and just moved O' Grady from parish to parish.
Possibly the most disturbing aspect of the film is that while watching Father O' Grady discuss his actions, it's hard to tell if he really believes that what he did was wrong.
He's so matter of fact and creepy, you just want to jump through the TV and strangle him.
Deliver Us From Evil is shocking in the sense of how high up the conspiracy goes. The Pope is literally an accomplice in cases such at this.
More than anything, the one theme I came away with after watching Deliver Us From Evil is that the Church is a business, and just like everything else in the world, is wrapped up in politics more than anything else.
An Open-Eye for all religious cults!
li090442610 September 2022
The most surprising and disturbing scenes in the documentary "Deliver Us from Evil" is to hear from Father Oliver O'Grady himself about the children and babies he sexually abused when he was a Catholic priest in California. We can see that O'Grady is still mentally ill, he is unaware of the seriousness of his actions in the past. He lives a normal life in Ireland as if all his abuses have been forgiven and therefore insignificant and impertinent to him. Another relevant point of the documentary is to present that both the dioceses of California and the Vatican simply deny or cover up all cases of sexual abuse perpetrated by their clergy. It is proven that all religions that view sex as an evil element, or preach fanaticism, certainly have sexual abuse cases done by their members.
A horrific betrayal of trust.
nesfilmreviews20 September 2013
The spellbinding power of this Oscar Nominee for Best Documentary comes from its chilling subject matter, a notorious pedophile priest and the cover-up of his heinous acts by the Roman Catholic hierarchy in the state of California. Director Amy Berg's documentary is clear-sighted and tough-minded -- a portrait of individual criminality and institutional indifference. A study in the betrayal of trust, and the irresponsibility of authority. In addition to giving faces and voices to victims who are often anonymous, it offers an interview with a convicted ex-priest who admits his crimes without remorse. "Deliver Us from Evil" presents three case studies of Father O'Grady's abuse. Simply put, jaw-dropping.
In the 1970s and 80s, Father O'Grady was serving as a parish priest in several towns in Central California, where he molested children over and over again, both boys and girls, including, a 9-month-old. Filmmaker Amy Berg masterfully exposes just how deeply rooted the corruption runs. Armed with anguished testimony from the families of the abused and their lawyers, she seamlessly presents indisputable evidence that the Church knew about O'Grady's activities. The hierarchy moved him from one parish to another, simply to avoid public scandal, and to prevent destroying the careers of those in power.
Present day and walking around the streets of Dublin, O'Grady peers into a schoolyard with an interest that can only appear perverse after what's been revealed about him. He seems so removed from his crimes that he could be an actor playing the part of a pedophile ex-priest. That he agreed to appear in "Deliver Us From Evil," is an indication not just of an oversized ego, but also a complete failure to comprehend of what he has actually done. Father O'Grady walks freely today in Ireland, not even registered as a sex offender. "Deliver Us From Evil" has already prompted legal attention in Los Angeles toward Cardinal Roger Mahoney, who allowed more than 550 priests under his jurisdiction to molest children without punishment.
Watching this documentary, and especially the interviews with O'Grady, is so much more disturbing than any piece of fiction could ever be. This is a real monster victimizing children, and it was allowed by a group that was claiming to do God's work.
In the 1970s and 80s, Father O'Grady was serving as a parish priest in several towns in Central California, where he molested children over and over again, both boys and girls, including, a 9-month-old. Filmmaker Amy Berg masterfully exposes just how deeply rooted the corruption runs. Armed with anguished testimony from the families of the abused and their lawyers, she seamlessly presents indisputable evidence that the Church knew about O'Grady's activities. The hierarchy moved him from one parish to another, simply to avoid public scandal, and to prevent destroying the careers of those in power.
Present day and walking around the streets of Dublin, O'Grady peers into a schoolyard with an interest that can only appear perverse after what's been revealed about him. He seems so removed from his crimes that he could be an actor playing the part of a pedophile ex-priest. That he agreed to appear in "Deliver Us From Evil," is an indication not just of an oversized ego, but also a complete failure to comprehend of what he has actually done. Father O'Grady walks freely today in Ireland, not even registered as a sex offender. "Deliver Us From Evil" has already prompted legal attention in Los Angeles toward Cardinal Roger Mahoney, who allowed more than 550 priests under his jurisdiction to molest children without punishment.
Watching this documentary, and especially the interviews with O'Grady, is so much more disturbing than any piece of fiction could ever be. This is a real monster victimizing children, and it was allowed by a group that was claiming to do God's work.
Informative, well made documentary
jsmattern123 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
An eye opening documentary on sexual abuse within the catholic church and on how the church failed the victims in an effort to preserve it's reputation and power. The film focuses also on father O'Grady who abused children and even their parents (and seems to have be oblivious to the pain he caused) for decades even after the church knew of the abuse. It reveals the stories or 3 abuse surviors and how the perpetrator is still protected by the monarchy of the catholic church. The film starts out a little slow at first but picks up when some of the victims try to confront the priest and the church itself only to be rejected. An informative, powerful film, which needed to be made.
Devastating indictment
SnoopyStyle27 December 2015
Father Oliver O'Grady starts molesting children in the 70s. When each time he's caught, the church moves him from one congregation to another in Northern California while assuring that he's getting treatment and not deal with children. The local Bishops would hide his crimes and minimizing them. He leaves a trail of suffering victims as the church keeps transferring O'Grady without telling the new congregations. This is a damning investigative documentary on the church. The creepiest thing is Father O'Grady who talks with a smile on his face. The church's callousness is undeniable. This is an organization without responsibility.
Raw and real
jody-ann4 January 2012
Deliver Us from Evil recounts the life of former Catholic priest Oliver O'Grady as a serial child molester in Northern California from 1973 until his conviction in 1993. During this period, O'Grady sexually abused twenty five children while prominent leaders of the church failed to ensure basic legal protections for the victims despite knowledge of the abuse.
The emotions in this grim documentary are raw and real. Director Amy Berg uses on camera interviews with the now exiled O'Grady and several of his victims to present a compelling moral indictment against the Roman Catholic Church for their blind engagement and silencing of decades of sexual abuse.
The sobering stories of the victims give us a full grasp of the psychological ramifications of childhood sexual abuse, the stunted emotional growth, and the persistent pain and shame that clings throughout the entirety of a victims life. O'Grady's appearances, being equally poignant, provide an intimate glimpse into a child molester's psyche. However, his candor and seemingly cavalier attitude towards the casualties of his heinous acts, is difficult to grasp. The former priest appears unmoved by his wrongdoings and does not express genuine remorse nor shy away from discussing his lewd, pedophillic urges.
Towards the end of the film we learn that O'Grady himself had been abused as a child by a member of the clergy and his older brother. With this revelation, it becomes clearer why O'Grady is the monster that he is.
The emotions in this grim documentary are raw and real. Director Amy Berg uses on camera interviews with the now exiled O'Grady and several of his victims to present a compelling moral indictment against the Roman Catholic Church for their blind engagement and silencing of decades of sexual abuse.
The sobering stories of the victims give us a full grasp of the psychological ramifications of childhood sexual abuse, the stunted emotional growth, and the persistent pain and shame that clings throughout the entirety of a victims life. O'Grady's appearances, being equally poignant, provide an intimate glimpse into a child molester's psyche. However, his candor and seemingly cavalier attitude towards the casualties of his heinous acts, is difficult to grasp. The former priest appears unmoved by his wrongdoings and does not express genuine remorse nor shy away from discussing his lewd, pedophillic urges.
Towards the end of the film we learn that O'Grady himself had been abused as a child by a member of the clergy and his older brother. With this revelation, it becomes clearer why O'Grady is the monster that he is.
Incendiary!
kevinalvarezp19 June 2007
I have never seen, or heard anyone, bringing forth the high level of charges against the catholic Church that this documentary brings to the screen!I was raised a Catholic in a Country where over 95% of the entire population are devoted to the religion, and this story most definitely has come to test my faith, not so much in the Church as an institution, but on the people that runs it. I've always had my own reservations about the mental fortitude of the Catholic priesthood to uphold their pledge to celibacy, and still carry on their duties with the expected dignity and grace placed upon then by millions of followers! The time may have come to realized that this individuals are just regular people like the rest of us, capable of good and evil all the same ,and like most of us they too are carriers of primal urges and yet, unlike must of us,sometimes, due to their institutional restrains sometimes,they succumb to it, in some cases, damaging the welfare of others, and hence, their own credibility and that of the faith!
I will still go to church, but, for one, im not looking up to no priest!
Shame on the religion for not addressing the two victims that flew thousands of miles (From America to that Vatican) to deliver their concerns! Shame on them!
Great documentary! An eye opener!
I will still go to church, but, for one, im not looking up to no priest!
Shame on the religion for not addressing the two victims that flew thousands of miles (From America to that Vatican) to deliver their concerns! Shame on them!
Great documentary! An eye opener!
The Prohibitions of Catholicism Leading to Its Own Disintegration
jzappa29 November 2009
Harboring Impure Thoughts is a sin in the mores of the Catholic Church. If one is attracted to a person sexually, a man, a woman, at whatever age, one also associates that quality with the object of even the most conventional Catholic marriage. So to a man who from the start of his sexual growth is trained as a Catholic priest, what's the difference between an object of pure lust and an object of affection? The danger, in turn, is not merely a danger to his own self but a danger to those objects of lust and affection of his. What's more, religion is extremely important to many people in all cultures. These people have children, who are raised with an obedient, conventional moral code that links inscrutability with their elders, whose trust is very easy for a neighborhood priest, their nearest connection with God, to acquire.
Watching Amy Berg's effective documentary Deliver Us from Evil is a compelling encounter. Her interview cases betray to the camera virtually insufferable stratums of grief, and its audience goes home feeling both bewilderment and anger. There is an integral interview subject who is an Irish Catholic priest who is undeterred by where Catholic orthodoxy has led his decisions to rape and molest 25 children who looked up to him, saw him as a father, and is living out his days in the Irish countryside. If any citizen otherwise had committed the same crime, they would be playing the role of the child to a much bigger, stronger rapist for decades. What is it about this ideology that causes people all over the world to treat related matters with superiority over everyone else? I suppose it is the centuries of tradition that is reassuring to society, even while these families are burdened with crippling depths of shame for as long as they last. The weight of their shame is directly related to that of the trust they put into their victimizers.
The film is not an indictment of people who practice the Catholic faith. Not by any means. It is a buoy for the devoutly faithful subjects surrounding Father Oliver O'Grady, who in the 1970s and '80s committed his crimes only to spend a mere seven years in prison and still keep his job, a voice and a vent for them. I know I haven't said much about the film itself, but the fact that I would rather talk about what the film made me think about should speak of the value of seeing it.
Watching Amy Berg's effective documentary Deliver Us from Evil is a compelling encounter. Her interview cases betray to the camera virtually insufferable stratums of grief, and its audience goes home feeling both bewilderment and anger. There is an integral interview subject who is an Irish Catholic priest who is undeterred by where Catholic orthodoxy has led his decisions to rape and molest 25 children who looked up to him, saw him as a father, and is living out his days in the Irish countryside. If any citizen otherwise had committed the same crime, they would be playing the role of the child to a much bigger, stronger rapist for decades. What is it about this ideology that causes people all over the world to treat related matters with superiority over everyone else? I suppose it is the centuries of tradition that is reassuring to society, even while these families are burdened with crippling depths of shame for as long as they last. The weight of their shame is directly related to that of the trust they put into their victimizers.
The film is not an indictment of people who practice the Catholic faith. Not by any means. It is a buoy for the devoutly faithful subjects surrounding Father Oliver O'Grady, who in the 1970s and '80s committed his crimes only to spend a mere seven years in prison and still keep his job, a voice and a vent for them. I know I haven't said much about the film itself, but the fact that I would rather talk about what the film made me think about should speak of the value of seeing it.
Absorbing, at times gut-wrenching doc simply scratches the surface
oneloveall1 May 2007
Predictably powerful documentary begins to involve moviegoers in what still remains one of the larger crises of our time: the psychological and bureaucratic systems set in place, ever since the manipulation of certain teachings ushered in church greed, that enable priests with the tools to use their flock as they wish. Deliver Us from Evil is a searing account of Catholic molestation, centering primarily around Father Oliver O'Grady and the few victims to go public throughout his sickening tenure as a man of God in various California churches from the 70's to 80's.
There is no denying the potency behind some of the footage captured for this project on the still largely taboo subject. Despite excessive controversy on this profoundly uncomfortable topic, which came as recent as a few years ago in big numbers up around Boston, this minor plague within the hallowed walls of organized religion will continue to be swept under society's collective carpet, completely playing into the ultimate corporation's (Vatican) game plan of which suppress, deny, and deceive play primary roles. Though this painful documentary may only scratch the surface and offer participants a microcosm of the completely insane methodology that epitomizes the depth of human corruption, one can only applaud this work for being one of the first documentaries to finally tackle the subject heads on.
Taking some time to gather it's bearings, this film gently creeps from harrowing research study into that of inescapable and undeniable horror , in the truest sense of the word. The disturbing reactions from convicted molester O'Grady are frightening enough, but it is the underlying systems in place to keep his sick behavior thriving underneath a supposed house of God that will truly infuriate and scare viewers. The extent of corruption throughout the high church is no secret, even to those who aren't invested in the fight against sexual predators. But when shown against the actual victims and families of these unspeakable acts, when shown the quiet devastation that has done no less then tear their very soul apart, ones hatred for the dogmatic (and certainly tainted) scriptures that dictate this complete insanity borders on burning.
My only wish would be a more thorough investigation into all the dynamics involved to help sustain this demonic order of things within Rome. Towards the ending, I appreciated filmmaker Amy Berg broadening the scope of this problem considerably to help us grasp the enormity of it all, but concentrating too heavily on O'Grady, and failing to really illuminate the man for how much time is spent on him only reiterates the secretive, horrific nature of this grotesque phenomenon, hopefully prompting far more mainstream analysis in the future for a disheartened public to attempt understanding. Deliver Us from Evil is a powerful wake up call to all those unaffected by this silent killer of spirits, but will cause more questions then answers from presenting a vast, centuries-old problem which still bears little solution in sight.
There is no denying the potency behind some of the footage captured for this project on the still largely taboo subject. Despite excessive controversy on this profoundly uncomfortable topic, which came as recent as a few years ago in big numbers up around Boston, this minor plague within the hallowed walls of organized religion will continue to be swept under society's collective carpet, completely playing into the ultimate corporation's (Vatican) game plan of which suppress, deny, and deceive play primary roles. Though this painful documentary may only scratch the surface and offer participants a microcosm of the completely insane methodology that epitomizes the depth of human corruption, one can only applaud this work for being one of the first documentaries to finally tackle the subject heads on.
Taking some time to gather it's bearings, this film gently creeps from harrowing research study into that of inescapable and undeniable horror , in the truest sense of the word. The disturbing reactions from convicted molester O'Grady are frightening enough, but it is the underlying systems in place to keep his sick behavior thriving underneath a supposed house of God that will truly infuriate and scare viewers. The extent of corruption throughout the high church is no secret, even to those who aren't invested in the fight against sexual predators. But when shown against the actual victims and families of these unspeakable acts, when shown the quiet devastation that has done no less then tear their very soul apart, ones hatred for the dogmatic (and certainly tainted) scriptures that dictate this complete insanity borders on burning.
My only wish would be a more thorough investigation into all the dynamics involved to help sustain this demonic order of things within Rome. Towards the ending, I appreciated filmmaker Amy Berg broadening the scope of this problem considerably to help us grasp the enormity of it all, but concentrating too heavily on O'Grady, and failing to really illuminate the man for how much time is spent on him only reiterates the secretive, horrific nature of this grotesque phenomenon, hopefully prompting far more mainstream analysis in the future for a disheartened public to attempt understanding. Deliver Us from Evil is a powerful wake up call to all those unaffected by this silent killer of spirits, but will cause more questions then answers from presenting a vast, centuries-old problem which still bears little solution in sight.
Why do they have to interview a sex offender for what he had done?!!!!!
Irishchatter19 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Yeah he admitted that he sexually abused young girls but I seriously do not have any sympathy for what he done to them. Why did they have interview him? Like hes just a dirty miserable person who should've been locked away. I would've preferred to hear what the victims have to say. I definitely didn't want to hear what he says. Whenever he talked, he made me sick to my stomach, why is he still alive to tell the tale?
I swear to god, why did Amy Berg have to do this? I just can't stop asking this question - why did they have to interview him?!. I would've rathered him silenced than hear him speak, it made me ears bleed. Sick pervert, he doesn't deserve to be in this project, he deserves punishment! Why are we giving him credit here?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I swear to god, why did Amy Berg have to do this? I just can't stop asking this question - why did they have to interview him?!. I would've rathered him silenced than hear him speak, it made me ears bleed. Sick pervert, he doesn't deserve to be in this project, he deserves punishment! Why are we giving him credit here?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
