MEA MAXIMA CULPA, a documentary uncovering child abuse in the Catholic Church, holds few surprises; there can't be many people left on this planet who AREN'T aware of the Catholic Church's dark, secretive and controlling nature. Yet as it stands this is a harrowing piece of film-making, one that reaches into the darkest depths of human existence in its search for the truth.
It begins with accounts of child abuse back in the '60s and just gets worse from there. Just when you think that Father Murphy, the man at the centre of these allegations, is the true villain of the piece, you find out there are even worse and more unsavoury characters: the ones who do everything in their power to hush it all up. Alex Gibney uncovers a sinister conspiracy that goes right to the highest echelons of power; forget the fantasy worlds of Dan Brown, this stuff is the real deal.
Hardly an enjoyable watch, but then this is one of those documentaries that everyone should see to get an idea of how things are, no matter how cynical it makes us.
It begins with accounts of child abuse back in the '60s and just gets worse from there. Just when you think that Father Murphy, the man at the centre of these allegations, is the true villain of the piece, you find out there are even worse and more unsavoury characters: the ones who do everything in their power to hush it all up. Alex Gibney uncovers a sinister conspiracy that goes right to the highest echelons of power; forget the fantasy worlds of Dan Brown, this stuff is the real deal.
Hardly an enjoyable watch, but then this is one of those documentaries that everyone should see to get an idea of how things are, no matter how cynical it makes us.