Jamie passion and passionfruit!

A decent Argentine film about the life and work of the Catholic priest Mario Pantaleo who happened to have the gift of healing hands and cured many people who had been given up on by the medical profession.  The film also looks at the friction this caused with the Catholic church – Mario was in fact a true servant of the people and established a parish, school and many other works in the poorest areas that the church hierarchy overlooked.

So, how good is it as a film?  Alejandro Doria, a famous Argentine director, returns to the screen after 16 years and does a dignified job, although one or two scenes tend towards the melodramatic.  He is helped by an excellent performance by Jorge Marrale in the lead role, portaying a conflicted character with his own doubts and demons to deal with apart from all the people who flock to him.

Graciela Borges is her usual striking presence as Perla, the middle-class woman who is cured by him and leaves behind her life to become his personal assistant.  The smaller parts are all well cast and the photography and music all fit to make a pleasant couple of hours exploring a different sort of topic for film.

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