The Least of These (2008) User Reviews (5)

Mystery at a catholic boy's school

[OJT · 7/10 · 16 July 2015]

The least of these is a drama-thriller about mysteries, secrets and religion. Without telling too much, this has a story which is like so many others. Still this story as more layers than you'd expect.

A colored priest comes as a teacher to a Catholic boys' school. In fact the same school he attended as a youngster. As he arrives, he gets told that "The first thing a priest learns is how to keep a secret". However, there's more secrets here, and the new priest has some secrets of his own.

This film attacks the secrecy of which we've heard much about around the catholic church for the latter years. This film treats it good, but perhaps not as good as we've seen others have done it. Still it hits the mark well enough to grip you, and to keep your attention.

The film is also packed with good acting from great actors. Maybe from time to time instructed a tiny bit naive, which also adds to the film's lesser credits. Director Nathan Scoggins, also the writer of this script, here made his second feature, after previously being more known as a writer. He uses a slow approach to the storytelling as well as the solving of the mystery. However both Isaiah Washington, as the colored priest, Robert Loggia, Bob Gunton and John Billingsley as the other priests are doing great in their roles. So are many of the teenage boys.

The film was made on a low budget, but production values are good. The marketing budget of course was also too small for this film to get a wide enough distribution, so this film would be considered as a gem by many of those linking this kind of stories. It good enough to be deserved to be watched by a larger audience.

This film thematically resembles films like there, of which not all of them are base on Catholicism or religion, but more also about child abuse. Sleepers, Priest, The Magdalena Sisters, Deliver us from evil, King of Devil's Island, Twist of faith, Troubled waters, Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the house of God, The Boys from St. Vincents, Hands of God, Calvary, Sex crimes of the Vatican and the forthcoming The spotlight team.

The truth shall set you free

[sol-kay · 7/10 · 16 September 2011]

***MAJOR SPOILERS*** The film in covering the explosive subject of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church takes the middle ground in showing that as shocking as it is there's also a lot of exploitation on the part of some of the so-called victims and their family members to use the false charges of sexual abuse among the priests and nuns in the church for strictly monetary reasons. It's Father Andre James, Isaiah Washington, who should know better then most in what a false accusation of sexual abuse against a priest can do. He in fact was guilty of that charge back at St.Matthews where unknowingly he had his best friend Father Mark Roberts, Lance Guest,thrown out of the priesthood by backing up a false accusation of sexual abuse against him. That was concocted by a student and his family that, in losing a major law civil suite, ended up bankrupting St.Matthews.

Depressed guilt ridden and almost suicidal in what he did to his friend Mark Roberts, who's now unemployed and an alcoholic, Father Andre James is given a second chance to make up for his mistake by Father William Jennings, Robert Loggia, at his Allentide Catholic Boys Boarding School. It's in fact at Allentide where years ago a 12 years old student Andre James was himself sexually abused by a priest Father Whitman. That incident was not only covered up by the school but it left Andre emotionally scared for life.

As a teacher in the school Father James senses that student Parker Remy, Gordon Garrett, seems to be suffering from the results of being sexually abused by his very unstable and paranoid actions as well as being on anti psychotic medication. As Father James digs farther into Parker's background he finds out that he was very close to a Father Collins who had since disappeared into thin air after he was transferred form the school. Checking on what the relationship was between Parker & Father Collins Father James is shocked to find out that Father Collins was in fact involved in a number of sexual abuse incidents with students in Catholic schools that he once taught in!

As Father James starts to uncover facts about the missing Father Collins his superiors in the school begin to uncover what he himself was involved in back at St. Matthews where he ended up disappearing into thin air, like Father Collins did, for two years.

***SPOILERS***Still not deterred by the accusations thrown against him Father James with his job in Allentide hanging on a thread tracks down the reason that Father Collins disappeared and it was not of his own choosing. It was murder! And the person who murdered Father Collins was in fact one of the many students that he abused in the school! And what's even worse it was the schools headmaster Father William Jennings, who gave Father James his job there, who covered up the murder and ended up hiding the body by dumping it, wrapped in a body bag, into a nearby lake to keep the truth about Father Collins actions from seeing the light of day! As well as setting the stage for a major law suite against Allentide that would end up bankrupting the school!

Even handed in its theme, sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, the movie does in fact cop out a bit by sugar coating the fact that it's only a few and in this case only one individual, Father Jennings, who's involved in covering the abuse up. It's hard for me to believe that Father Jennings could have done all this in not only covering up Father Collins actions but even deep sixing his body all by himself without the knowledge and even help of his fellow priests in the school. The big plus in the film is Isaiah Washington depiction of the guilt ridden Father Andre James who despite what he did in the past as well as the sexual abuse he suffered, at the hands of Father Whitman, was still able to put that all aside and not let it interfere in his investigation what happened to Father Collins. And getting to the bottom of not only who ended up murdering father Collins but what he himself did to put it, his being murdered, into motion.

Familiar story, excellently delivered.

[Russell_Zoloft · 8/10 · 3 December 2009]

You wont find any surprises in the plot. It's a story that's been done many times over, some successfully, most not so much. But, what makes this one stand out as successful is the excellent acting by the recognizable older faces, as well as the young actors. Shot, scored, and directed very simply, the locations and music add perfect compliment to the casually paced yet not slow story progression. Job well done by the director, composer and cinematographer, for not letting their own visions overshadow a movie that rightfully is about the characters. This is by no means a happy movie, but despite the heavy storyline, you will find yourself with a smile as the credits begin to roll, a smile that feels organic, not forced. Fine movie making.

decent exploration

[Kirpianuscus · 4 February 2024]

I saw it as teacher , recognizing in the portrait of father of father James some gesture and thoughts defining myself.

I saw it for the fascination of a Greek Orthodox about Romano Catholic univers.

And, not last, for Robert Loggia,Bob Gunton and Isaiah Washington, not ignoring John Billingsley.. Conclusion - a fair explore of sensitive themes, a well crafted atmosphere , not so surprising twist , nice define of students reactions and some drops of a sort of soap opera. Nothing bad, some pathetic or forced in few scenes but realistic in essence.

So, a film suggesting questions and a not bad perspective, sure, too polite, about religious school.

An Amazing Surprise!!

[yvettea3605 · 10/10 · 24 March 2012]

I had no idea what I was in store for when Virgil (my partner) brought home this DVD... Virgil had fallen asleep so I settled down with a bag of Lay's chips and a glass of Dr. Pepper to watch "The Least of These" starring Isaiah Washington...needless to say I am writing this review as I was riveted to this story and fell uncontrollably into simple yet acute adoration for all, even Jason, in this cast. I have two sons of my own, and a grandson so I am a bit biased...but please know this story really touched me in a way I have not felt in a long, long time...Thank you to the producers and the cast as well as all the souls who brought this project to completion - God bless and keep each one of you and your families and friends.

Seattle's Coletha ;-}