Twist of Faith is a documentary about an Ohio man named Tony Comes and his struggles as a victim of sexual abuse by a priest.  This priest has now moved into Tony’s neighborhood 20 years later.  Seeing the priest again forces Tony to confront his abuse and wage a legal war against the the Catholic church for covering up his story and many others like him.  

This movie was really intense.  Tony Comes is likable, salt-of-the-earth type.  He is a fireman and he has beautiful young family.  One of the scenes in the beginning focuses on Tony dealing with his son’s toothache.  He’s kind and gentle but a little sternly teaching his son how to deal with physical pain.  But, it’s Tony’s emotional pain that is the focus of the film.  You can tell that Tony is really a charming guy.  A type that would be fun to watch a football game with or have a beer and a burger with, but he’s been ruined in a sense.  Because the abuse was homosexual in nature, it touches a nerve with Tony even further.  He’s made to feel as if he needs to prove his heterosexuality as if people otherwise would see him as a gay man.  

I was struck by the way Tony still deep down never really lost his belief in God.  His daughter still goes to Catholic school and his whole family remained strict Catholics.  It’s disturbing watching Tony hash things out with his mother who defends the Catholic church.  It’s clear she has an inner struggle in trying to help her son in his lawsuit against the church and somehow resolve the situation with her own faith.  In many ways it’s unforgivable.  

The raw honesty and interviews with the offending priest and other victims rounded out this movie.  The winner this year was Born into Brothels, another movie about child sexual abuse.  Grim year.