The Jealous God film review

certificate_12A

THE JEALOUS GOD

A nod to the northern films of the 50s and 60s that defined British cinema and society of time, The Jealous God certainly benefits from having decent source material by means of a novel by Room at the Top author John Braine. Stifled passions are barely kept under wraps in a repressive northern Catholic family, but the actual execution of getting this tale up on the big screen is something of a letdown.

Jason Merrells is Vincent, a thirty-year-old teacher with an eye for the ladies, but under pressure from his domineering mother to become a priest. Vincent demurs, goes from one relationship to the next until finally he falls for Laura, a beauty from the local library. All seems fine until Vincent discovers that Laura has a secret that will threaten their future.

Events are complicated by the other members of Vincent's family who either tell him what to do, or struggle to cope with their own crises. Most notable is his sister-in-law Maureen (Denise Welch), who struggles with a boorish drunk of a husband and looks to Vincent for a supportive shoulder to cry on.

Unfortunately, several things turn this potentially intriguing family drama into a messy and unconvincing film. Budget restraints clearly have had an effect and the direction is uninspired. Stephen Woodcock has a background in animation and doesn't produce any cohesive performances from his actors. The leads are far too uneven, without any light or shade, and some of the supporting performances are simply jarring. The key moments of passion are overcooked and over-edited, with often embarrassing results.

Things are not helped by a screenplay which turns Braine's novel into a pedestrian and linear affair. Instead of being forced to think for themselves, the audience has the plot rammed down its throat without any aspect of subtlety whatsoever. At one point, two of the characters go to the cinema to see Room at the Top, and the excerpts from this make the differences between the two only too evident. The Jealous God is a pale imitation of a classic period in British cinema and it is certainly one of the year's most curious releases.

Paul Hurley