Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: A PRAYER FOR THE DYING [Berlinale - Berlin, Germany]

The idea of no win scenarios bakes in the idea of how one acts and the choices that are made. This can refer to many things but the collapse of countries, natural disasters and plagues have the concept down. "A Prayer For The Dying" [Perspectives] sets its sights in the woods of Wisconsin on its ways back and forth from the ideas of the Civil War five years after its conclusion in 1870. Johnny Flynn plays Jacob, a man both the Sheriff and Priest in a small rural town trying to make a good life with his wife and newborn daughter. Everyone goes about that everything is fine as a dead body is found outside the bee keeping area of a local farmer. Flynn plays Jacob with a caring streak trying to stay the line even as it all unravels. He cares for the kids getting in trouble but also for his local friends whom he wants to protect. For the most part it is a two hander though between him and The Doctor (a nicely understated John C. Reilly) whereas we see the bits and pieces come in to eventually form a picture. It is about the conversations and the reasons that define what the town will be remembered as. Even at one point the two of them are laughing in the Doctor's office and from that Jacob starts sobbing...and it is powerful since the camera doesn't turn away. The first three quarters of the movie seems to know exactly what it is doing. But like the similar "Train Dreams", it becomes almost too metaphorical in its final act but that doesn't discount the beautiful work getting there.

Certain scenes like when Jacob locks his crazy with grief wife and it jumps to the next shot just stings as does the scene before (and the scene in the Doctor's office laughing after that). It becomes hard to fathom but the Doctor puts it in perspective. Another angle is a cult-like church existing in the forest which many discount. While the logic based doctor and practical Flynn maybe don't understand at first, as things become more dire, Flynn visits their camp and the piety of what is shown simply becomes humanity...the reasoning being that there is not as much reason as one would think (or possibility even -- faith can be like that). As the town corners inside in both of their own volition and not, a fire is also raging over the hill literally. It is almost too much scale for this kind of movie to do what it is trying to do. It would have worked without the fire but that is where the script moves towards the end. It is interesting visually and metaphorically but the effects work is almost too much to get it done. That said, it is an admirable attempt and makes for some haunting visuals when it works. The question, metaphorically becomes can Jacob pull himself out of hell and be able to walk again. The photography in its square ratio is beautifully composed and captured giving the film an immense lyricality it might not have otherwise had. This elevates it in many ways against the loss (or perhaps choices) towards the end). But other films have done that before and turned out to be classics. "Prayer For The Dying" in many ways is no different. B+

By Tim Wassberg