Contemplative Movies for Lent
The season of Lent is a time for contemplation. The Ash Wednesday service in the Book of Common Prayer calls us to observe the season “by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and alms-giving; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word” (BCP 2019, pg. 544).
In its call for self-examination and repentance, Lent reminds us that we are sinful and that we need salvation, which only God can provide through Jesus Christ. In reading and meditating on God’s holy Word, we acknowledge the resulting curse of our fall: that we are dust, and to dust we shall return (Genesis 3:19).
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It’s often hard to capture the essence of all this in a movie. Film is, after all, a visual art form, and contemplation is intrinsically inward and harder to portray in visual form. Plus, major studios also usually only greenlight ideas that will turn a huge profit. Contemplative films or dramas that wrestle with faith have often struggled at the box office. This is even more true when modern audiences have been geared to have even shorter attention spans. To the average audience, these long-form stories risk being considered the worst thing a film can be: boring.
Still, some movies stand out for their ability to capture the difficulties of faith in a fallen world, the serious struggle against sin, and the need to remember our role in God’s kingdom. Each of these is worth watching during Lent (or anytime!).
Before You Watch
If you do watch these films, here are a few suggestions before the opening credits roll:
- Watch with someone. You could watch each of these films alone, but you will get more out of them if you have someone to watch with and talk about them after.
- Watch without distractions. Turn off your phone and leave it in another room. These films are best when they have your undivided attention.
- Sit with it. These are definitely not films you should do a movie marathon with; when the end credits roll, it can be beneficial to talk about the film with the person/people you watched it with or to reflect on it if you viewed it alone.
To get a few elephants in the room out of the way: most of these films are based in the Roman Catholic tradition, and many have something of an edge to them. There are no truly feel-good Christian films here; they deserve to be mulled over with a friend afterward. If you’re concerned about the content, we have provided a link to the content guide for each from IMDB.
The Mission (1986)
Directed by Roland Joffé | Starring Robert De Niro, Jeremy Irons, Liam Neeson | Rated PG | Content Guide
This is probably the first movie I ever saw where I (Blake) wanted to rewatch it during Lent specifically.
The Mission is a film about Jesuit missionaries in 18th-century South America who are forced to defend their mission and the native people they have come to care for from the Portuguese after Spain sells the territory. Beginning with a story of a mercenary and slave-trader who has murdered his brother, finding repentance, penance, and redemption (Lenten themes for certain), the film ultimately centers on the question of violence, especially “righteous” violence. While one missionary seeks to trust in prayer, another chooses to “live by the sword.”
This raises many questions. Which would we choose? Which is the righteous path? Does the path of nonviolence only work because of those who exercise violence to protect those who protect the nonviolent?
Molokai (1999)
Directed by Paul Cox | Starring David Wenham, Kate Ceberano | Rated PG | Content Guide.
We best know David Wenham today for portraying Faramir in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. However, just a few years prior, he portrayed yet another heroic character: the priest we know today as St. Damien of Molokai, patron saint of people with leprosy.
Molokai tells the story of Damien, a Catholic priest sent as a missionary pastor to the people of the leper colony on the Hawaiian island of Molokai, as they had no one to administer the last rites to them. The bishop cautions that he shall not touch any of the patients; however, Damien, in his compassion towards the people, breaks this command, eventually sharing both the physical suffering of those he came to serve and their neglect and ostracisation by the outside world.
The film is beautifully shot and features impressive supporting performances by legendary actors Kris Kristofferson, Sam Neill, Sir Derek Jacobi, Sir Peter O’Toole, and Tom Wilkinson. However, the most compelling reason to watch the film is its emphasis on self-denial and laying down one’s own life and reputation for the sake of the gospel and Christlike compassion.
Into Great Silence (2005)
Directed by Philip Gröning | Starring the Carthusian Monks of the Grande Chartruse | Not Rated | Content Guide
No film may feel more like Lent itself than Into Great Silence. The 2005 documentary about a remote Carthusian monastery in the French Alps embraces the lifestyle of the monks it portrays in its own form. No instrumental score accompanies the action; the only music comes from the monks in their prayer offices. There is no narration; as the monks spend most of their time in silence, the film features almost no spoken dialogue. We follow them in their simple tasks around the monastery, preparing a meal, and praying. We see them arise for the night offices. The film’s slow, quiet pace immerses the viewer in the slow, quiet life of contemplation and prayer the monks observe.
Sadly, in recent years, Into Great Silence has become hard to find through legitimate avenues; it has disappeared from streaming services and DVD and has never appeared on Blu-ray in North America. However, many public libraries have copies, and searching out one might just get you into the spirit of the Lenten disciplines for the season.
Calvary (2014)
Directed by John Michael McDonagh | Starring Brendan Gleeson | Rated R | Content Guide
Set in a small Irish village, Calvary opens on a confessional in which an unseen parishioner reveals to a Catholic priest, Father James, played by Brendan Gleeson, that another priest sexually abused him in his youth. He then says that, as a means of revenge against the Church, he is going to kill the innocent Father James in one week. We should note here that, both for the circumstances around its central premise and for its fluid use of profanity, the film earns its R-rating.
After the striking conversation, Father James struggles with what to do for the next week. While we might imagine a holy and passive contemplation of his pending mortality, we see the full range of emotions as the priest comes to terms with what was done, what to do, and what, ultimately, he values. As the week unfolds, he goes about his everyday work as the priest of his parish—an imperfect priest doing his best to serve imperfect people.
To think of it more broadly, this is a film in which a Christian must consider if he would lay down his life for the Church—a church which has actively hurt the most vulnerable.
Last Days in the Desert (2015)
Directed by Rodrigo García | Starring Ewan McGregor | Rated PG-13 | Content Guide
Of all the films on this list, Last Days in the Desert is the most connected to the central story of Lent. It centers on the character of Jesus (called Yeshua throughout the film) and his 40 days of fasting and prayer in the wilderness, the very experience that inspires our 40-day Lenten journey. During this time, he is haunted by the figure of Satan (also unironically played by Ewan McGregor) and meets a family trying to survive in the harsh landscape.
While this film has sparse spoken dialogue, every line and every shot is incredibly poignant. It considers the relationship between sons and fathers, the nature of temptation, and, through both of these, our relationship to God. This might be the most quintessential Lent film.
Silence (2016)
Directed by Martin Scorsese | Starring Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson | Rated R | Content Guide
If you’re looking for a film that is not only contemplative but also shows the harsh reality of Christians suffering persecution and having to make hard decisions, look no further than Silence.
Silence is a film in which two young Jesuit priests (played by Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver) go to feudal Japan to find their mentor (portrayed by Liam Neeson) and continue spreading Christianity. The film opens with the torture of those who followed the elder priest, played by Liam Neeson. After smuggling themselves into Japan, they find themselves confronted by Japanese authorities who are, to put it mildly, hostile to the faith. They are forced to consider acts which are and aren’t acceptable in order to survive, including hiding themselves while the Japanese converts are tortured and killed.
This is not a film for the faint of heart or children. Because of the brutality portrayed, Silence earns an R-rating. However, mature Christians would do well to watch it and think about it for hours or days afterward.
The Two Popes (2019)
Directed by Fernando Meirelles | Starring Sir Jonathan Pryce, Sir Anthony Hopkins | Rated PG-13 | Content Guide
If there is a feel-good film on this list, The Two Popes is it. Most of the film consists of a fictionalized conversation between Pope Benedict XVI and his successor, Pope Francis, in the period shortly before the former’s resignation. Throughout the film, the two men discuss their individual failings, their faith, and their hope for the Church.
While this is still a film with an overall serious tone, it has several moments of joy and levity. It is a particularly interesting film to watch if you’re more interested in the idea of the role of the Church in the modern world (including after the Church has done harm, as the Catholic Church did with the systemic problem of child sexual abuse).
Cover image by fergregory from Getty Images. Digitally modified by Jacob Davis.
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