Dir. Denys Arcand, Canada/France, 1989, 118 mins, subtitles
Cast:
Lothaire Bluteau, Catherine Wilkening, Johann-Marie Tremblay, Remy Girard, Robert Lepage, Gilles Pelletier, Yves Jacques
In modern day Montreal, audiences are staying away from the basilica's traditional passion play and Father Leclerc (Gilles Pelletier), a disillusioned man himself, looks to a young actor, Daniel (Lothaire Bluteau) to update the play.
It is very difficult to not look for the similarities and parallels between the film's narrative and the New Testament itself. Some are quite explicit, such as the way Daniel recruits his performers, all of whom have fallen by the wayside in some way or other. One provides voice-overs for porno films, another is an exploited model, while another (the Mary-Magdalene-alike) is actually Father Leclerc's lover. They become Daniel's disciples as they follow and believe in him, helping him in his work. As the play takes form, they come to believe in that too, and finally in themselves - Daniel indeed being the instrument of their salvation. However, Daniel has reinterpreted his play too literally for the church's liking. Bringing the radical and subversive elements of Christ's teachings to the forefront make for an incredibly moving performance that is wildly popular with audiences, but it is not at all to the Catholic Church's liking, and certainly not to Father Leclerc's. Daniel could well cry out "Father, why hast thou forsaken me?" when the very priest who commissioned his work is now the instrument of its closure.
The company, though, believe in the play and are determined to finish its final staging. Playing to a large audience, and begging the police not to close them down at the same time, fact and fiction begin to merge until the crucifixion scene becomes a climatic real-life drama.
Jesus of Montreal inherently makes biblical allusions, but is much more than an allegory: it examines the role and ethics of religion in the world today. In doing so, the film challenges the reader to see the teachings of the Bible as more than stories but to see the relevance of its themes in the world today.
Furthermore, the film meets the viewer at his or her own level of faith. One may simply know who Christ was to enjoy the tale, whilst a biblical scholar would be able to extract and philosophise more from the narrative. This does not mean the person without strong belief or understanding will enjoy it less - it will still be personal to them.
Beautifully acted, with Bluteau bringing an appropriate intensity to the role, Jesus of Montreal is by turns moving, profound, and really quite funny, managing to tackle (and often satirise) some very real issues without ever alienating the audience.
Jean Lynch
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