Father Morris is a priest who has become jaded with conflicted with the nature of his faith. Daily listening to his parishioners confess their sins in the confessional, he wonders if he is really making any difference in their lives, and struggles with the guilt and knowledge of knowing that the husband of one of his regular confessors is having an affair. When the 21-year-old Amber walks into his confessional, claiming to have murdered a homeless man, the cynical Morris sees through her lie and dismisses her. Refusing to leave much to his annoyance, he finds his life turned upside down by her, as she forces him to confront his dedication to priesthood.
Directed by Matthew Tibbernham whose only real major credit was as an Assistant Director on the 2012 horror flick Sinister, Surviving Confessional marked his debut full-length feature as director and remains one of only two movies that he has helmed. The other is the upcoming horror/sci-fi movie Parallel which is to be released next year. With a screenplay written by Nathan Shane Miller whose work up until then had been limited to several short films, Surviving Confessional marks a monumentally impressive debut in what is a low-budget, minimalist indy film. Painfully obscure, especially so that it doesn't even have a Wikipedia page dedicated to it. It's a movie screaming out for better acknowledgment. Anchored by a superb central performance by Clayton Nemrow, an actor I am unfamiliar with but has had a prolific career spanning over twenty years. He breaks the wall as Father Morris, addresses the audience, speaking of how he has grown jaded and is suffering a crisis of faith as he listens to his parishioners' confessions on a daily. Basis. We see a man forced to confront if there is any real purpose to his position, and if he is giving any real meaning or solace to those who come to him.
However, when a young woman named Amber enters his confessional he finds himself questioning his devotion to his faith more so, not least because he is conflicted by the feelings he has for one of his regular attendees, Mary who is troubled by the state of her marriage, and whom he knows her wife has been having an affair. Needless to say, the movie deals with Father Morris's struggle to remain true to his duties as a Priest, while attempting to reconcile them with his love for Mary.
Morris's doubts are exacerbated further by Amber, whose presence remains a mystery, and yet becomes something of an annoyance to him, and provides some welcome moments of sharp, pointed humor to the fore. Jessica Lynn Parsons provides a superb foil to Nemrow as the beleaguered and morally tortured priest. The movie is an absorbing character study of the nature of faith offers and challenges the very principles. It's thoroughly involving thanks to the dynamic between both Morris and Amber, and when you think you know where the movie is going writer Nathan Shane Miller pulls the rug right from under the audience. Wrapping up with a denouement that is as emotional as it is poignant. Surviving Confession is an obscure gem and deserving of more attention. Not least because of Nemrow's winning performance, which he injects with so much pathos and conviction.
Directed by Matthew Tibbernham whose only real major credit was as an Assistant Director on the 2012 horror flick Sinister, Surviving Confessional marked his debut full-length feature as director and remains one of only two movies that he has helmed. The other is the upcoming horror/sci-fi movie Parallel which is to be released next year. With a screenplay written by Nathan Shane Miller whose work up until then had been limited to several short films, Surviving Confessional marks a monumentally impressive debut in what is a low-budget, minimalist indy film. Painfully obscure, especially so that it doesn't even have a Wikipedia page dedicated to it. It's a movie screaming out for better acknowledgment. Anchored by a superb central performance by Clayton Nemrow, an actor I am unfamiliar with but has had a prolific career spanning over twenty years. He breaks the wall as Father Morris, addresses the audience, speaking of how he has grown jaded and is suffering a crisis of faith as he listens to his parishioners' confessions on a daily. Basis. We see a man forced to confront if there is any real purpose to his position, and if he is giving any real meaning or solace to those who come to him.
However, when a young woman named Amber enters his confessional he finds himself questioning his devotion to his faith more so, not least because he is conflicted by the feelings he has for one of his regular attendees, Mary who is troubled by the state of her marriage, and whom he knows her wife has been having an affair. Needless to say, the movie deals with Father Morris's struggle to remain true to his duties as a Priest, while attempting to reconcile them with his love for Mary.
Morris's doubts are exacerbated further by Amber, whose presence remains a mystery, and yet becomes something of an annoyance to him, and provides some welcome moments of sharp, pointed humor to the fore. Jessica Lynn Parsons provides a superb foil to Nemrow as the beleaguered and morally tortured priest. The movie is an absorbing character study of the nature of faith offers and challenges the very principles. It's thoroughly involving thanks to the dynamic between both Morris and Amber, and when you think you know where the movie is going writer Nathan Shane Miller pulls the rug right from under the audience. Wrapping up with a denouement that is as emotional as it is poignant. Surviving Confession is an obscure gem and deserving of more attention. Not least because of Nemrow's winning performance, which he injects with so much pathos and conviction.