70
Village Voice
A nuanced, character-driven critique of the Catholic Church and its regressive stance on homosexuality.
In the Name of... (W Imię...)
Critic Rating
(read reviews)User Rating
- Poland
- 2013
- · 102m
Director
Małgorzata Szumowska
Cast
Andrzej Chyra,
Mateusz Kościukiewicz,
Maja Ostaszewska,
Maria Maj,
Łukasz Simlat,
Tomasz Schuchardt
Genre
Drama
Catholic priest Adam works in rural Poland, where he runs a home for troubled teenagers. Although he is well-liked for his youthful energy, he struggles deeply with his own sexuality, especially when he finds himself interested in a young man who comes to his parish.
Stream In the Name of...
What are critics saying?
70
Los Angeles Times by Gary Goldstein
Despite some diffused messaging and oddly elliptical storytelling, "In the Name Of" proves an absorbing, at times hypnotic drama about religion, repression and sexuality.
70
Village Voice by John Oursler
A nuanced, character-driven critique of the Catholic Church and its regressive stance on homosexuality.
60
The Guardian
Co-writer/ director Malgorzata Szumowska, improving upon 2011's Elles, downplays the conflicts in a scenario apparently ripe for torrid melodrama, allowing the story and characters to reveal themselves at their own pace.
60
The New York Times by Jeannette Catsoulis
Encouraging sensitive performances that mitigate the film’s sluggish pace and fuzzy narrative, Ms. Szumowska juxtaposes two-person scenes of wordless intimacy with group expressions of casual violence.
60
The Guardian by Mike McCahill
Co-writer/ director Malgorzata Szumowska, improving upon 2011's Elles, downplays the conflicts in a scenario apparently ripe for torrid melodrama, allowing the story and characters to reveal themselves at their own pace.
50
Slant Magazine
This Polish "gay priest tempted" drama is almost as confused about the moral quandaries of its characters as they are.
50
New York Post by Farran Smith Nehme
The second half is therefore much more interesting than the first; even so, the whole movie suffers from a lack of narrative momentum and a surfeit of wordless shots of men exchanging deep, meaningful glances.
50
Slant Magazine by Bill Weber
This Polish "gay priest tempted" drama is almost as confused about the moral quandaries of its characters as they are.
40
The Dissolve by Mike D'Angelo
In The Name Of… might have worked moderately well as a character study, if not for the film’s insistence on treating other priests as mustache-twirling villains.
30
Variety
While thesps Chyra and Kosciukiewicz... embody the physical aspect of their characters’ relationship comfortably enough, their pairing as lovers lacks both chemistry and narrative credibility.
30
Variety by Alissa Simon
While thesps Chyra and Kosciukiewicz... embody the physical aspect of their characters’ relationship comfortably enough, their pairing as lovers lacks both chemistry and narrative credibility.
Loading recommendations...
Loading recommendations...