A case study on what could be called the biggest crisis to ever face the Catholic Church, Deliver Us from Evil tells the story of Father Oliver O'Grady, a California parishioner who sexually abused children throughout the 1970s and '80s. Controversially, the Church knew that O'Grady had sexually abused a child within his first months but never told anyone outside of their ranks, deciding instead to move the pastor around northern California. The film is uncomfortable; there are no heartwarming voiceovers or any of the shock-and-awe tactics of a Michael Moore documentary. Instead, Deliver uses some deposition video of Catholic Church officials, and relies mostly on the words of O'Grady, three of his victims and their families. The film also deals with a current movement to reform the Church from within, but it is the scenes with the victims or perpetrator that provide the chilling juxtaposition which makes this movie so compelling.
The victims and families lead lives that have been forever changed by O'Grady's betrayal. They are still in obvious pain. On the other hand, O'Grady exudes comfort and contentment. He was deported to Ireland after being convicted of a small fraction of his crimes and spending seven years in prison. Walking around Dublin, stopping at one point to admire kids playing in a park, O'Grady recalls his years in California with an undeniable longing in his voice, despite the regret he confesses.
Though religious groups such as the Los Angeles archdiocese have already spoken out against the film, Berg uses an even hand in presenting what actually happened. Deliver provides a chilling mystery which puts responsibility on the viewer to decide if enough was done by the Church in this heinous case.
