The Righteous, 2021.
Directed by Mark O’Brien.
Starring Henry Czerny, Mark O’Brien, Mimi Kuzyk, Kate Corbett, Mayko Nguyen, and Nigel Bennett.
SYNOPSIS:
An ex-parishioner burdened with grief and grappling with faith, meets a strange youth with sinister intentions.
I’ve always been a sucker for black-and-white films, and that curious affinity has only grown with the passage of time. Coupled with an intriguing looking trailer, and of course Mission: Impossible’s Henry Czerny involvement, The Righteous became a project I was very much looking forward to seeing this year.
The premise is simple enough, barring a few surrealistic flourishes, this is a relatively straightforward psychological drama. But that never lessens its overall impact, because this is a film that owes much of its success to the powerful performances dished out by its talented cast.
The story follows Frederick Mason (Henry Czerny), a former priest and his wife Ethel (Mimi Kuzyk), as they grieve the loss of their adopted daughter. Whilst the couple wrestle with their recent tragedy, things get more complicated with the arrival of a stranger named Aaron (Mark O’Brien), who appear to be having disturbing schemes of his own.
I’m not overly familiar with O’Brien’s body of work, but goddamn if he didn’t impress me with what he’d done here. The Canadian actor comes off as a young Tom Hardy, mercurial and unhinged, delivering a visceral performance that is equal parts heartfelt and terrifying. And the fact that O’Brien achieved this feat, while simultaneously working behind the camera as director (in his feature film debut no less) and churning out the movie’s script, is even more impressive.
O’Brien has teamed up with an equally talented crew to bring his singular vision to life. DOP Scott McClellan’s gorgeous monochrome cinematography makes maximum use of the story’s isolated setting- highlighting the lights and shadows, lending an eerie atmospheric quality to the proceedings. The black and white imagery employed here ain’t no gimmick, it is used with a very specific, creatively driven objective in mind – to enhance mood. And to say, McClellan succeeds in his task is something of an understatement.
Another pivotal aspect of The Righteous is the evocative score by music extraordinaire Andrew Staniland. It is an effort that leans heavily into mood and atmosphere, enhancing the emotional story beats of the film and dialing them up to eleven. A flawless fit, to the bleak drama crafted by O’Brien.
But where The Righteous truly shines is through its two phenomenal lead performances, courtesy of Henry Czerny and Mark O’Brien. Czerny who has been MIA from mainstream media since his scene stealing turn as IMF secretary Kittridge in 1996’s Mission: Impossible, seems to be making a slight comeback to the spotlight. Between this and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1 & 2 Czerny certainly seems poised on making his return to the big screen count, but it’s hard to predict anything when it comes to the talented character actor.
But I digress. We’re here to talk about Czerny in The Righteous, yes? Well, in a nutshell the guy’s performance is nothing short of mesmerizing. Whilst O’Brien is wild and tumultuous, Czerny is subtle and introspective. His movements and mannerisms are slight, but they convey so much in terms of emotions and feelings. The closeups in particular capture these minutiae at play- a furrowing brow here, a flickering smile there- and as someone who appreciates these minute details in acting, this turned out to be an utterly engrossing watch. Mimi Kuzyk is equally brilliant as the emotionally volatile Ethel. Her vulnerability and fragile state of mind is brought to life in devastatingly raw fashion by the actress.
The Righteous is a film that cannot be easily summed up with words. On the one hand it is an existential psychological drama, but on the other hand it is a nightmarish cautionary tale. Whichever way you choose to look at it, there’s no denying the sheer talent and craftsmanship involved nor its ability to leave a lasting impression on the viewer.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Hasitha Fernando is a part-time medical practitioner and full-time cinephile. Follow him on Twitter via @DoctorCinephile for regular updates on the world of entertainment.
