Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Boring

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

This is the very timely story of the relationship between a priest and a teen who wants to be one in modern day Naples. It is portrayed as a pure, honest, innocent relationship on the part of both.While most of the people close to either of them are aware of the relationship after Nunzio moves into the church, it is refreshing to see how they treat it in an almost matter-of-fact manner. There is some minor ribbing by some acquaintances but nothing like the mean-spirited harsh torture a boy in modern America who willingly participated would be subjected to.When Fr. Borelli refuses to compromise his morals and silence his campaign against the camorristas (mafia), a campaign is launched to have the boy denounce him.This is one of the most sympathetic portrayals (better than L.I.E., up there with Man Without a Face) ever shown on screen, and is also commendable as showing how social workers and those in one's environment can pressure youths into denouncing even those seen as close friends. An important film in its genre. 9 Caution: explicit scenes but no full frontal nudity.DATE: 2002-07-18 " - ricrisci

For Gods sake, The priest is not a child molester! Why does everyone keep saying that? When two people have consensual sex, morality does not come into it. I don't get this whole new hatred and paranoia if two inter-generational lover decide to express their desires sexually? All love is the same, emotional blackmail, games and little tiffs are always involved, whether one partner is 13 or 33, does not in the end matter so much. Upon seeing this film I felt that the priest had some admirable traits and was basically a good Samaritan caught up in a web of politics and mafia. When his enemies chance upon his sexual preference (and the fact that he as a catholic priest had sex)they use it as a tool to sideline and destroy his reputation. I felt that the film, far from being some moral conundrum is actually a good attempt at showing the hypocrisy of the times we live in. One thing though, the acting (having been done by obvious non-pros) is about average.

Father Lorenzo Borrelli's church is located in the Sanita quarter of Naples, one of the worst neighborhood in the city. Father Borrelli has seen enough death among the young people that are recruited by the Camorra, the local mafia, that is behind most of the crimes committed in Naples. This righteous man's voice speaks against all the injustices he sees stemming from the evil doings of the Camorra, yet Father Lorenzo is a man that hides a dark secret in his heart: he is gay and a pedophile.Into this milieu arrives Nunzio Pianese, a young boy in Father Lorenzo's confirmation class. Nunzio, himself, is a young man that is different from the other hoodlums running around in this dangerous part of Naples. Nunzio, who has a beautiful voice, is seen as he sings for one of the local stations; he loves interpreting those romantic ballads that are so Neapolitan.Perhaps it's inevitable that Lorenzo and Nunzio will become lovers. After all, Lorenzo has had another long term affair with the handsome Gigi, who is older now. Gigi must see in Nunzio what he went through during the times he had sex with the priest. At the same time, Father Lorenzo is never seen threatening Nunzio, as it appears their relationship is mutual.The Camorra wants to get to Father Lorenzo in any way it can. They choose to work through Nunzio because the young man is vulnerable where the priest is resolute. The priest has two strikes against him, he is opposing the local mafia, plus his homosexuality, if known, will certainly destroy his reputation, and it will mean the bad guys have won the struggle while they sideline their opponent.Antonio Capuano directed and wrote the screen play of this film. He uses a ploy to have the different characters in the movie introduce themselves giving us, the viewers, a bit of information as to where, and when they were born. This aspect doesn't do much to advance the story, something we found a bit distracting.The acting in general, by non professional actors, fits the movie well. Mr. Capuando sets the action for his film in the streets of the Sanita district. Fabrizio Bentivoglio, is basically the only known face in the large cast. Mr. Bentivoglio shows a great range, as he becomes furious against the Camorra, to a tender side one sees when he is in the company of Nunzio, who he evidently adores passionately. His scenes with Nunzio show a restraint that speaks volumes about the director of the film, Antonio Capuano, who decided not to go for cheap shots. Emanuele Gargiulo is seen as the sweet Nunzio.Antonio Capuano directed the film with an eye for detail, something that his cinematographer, Antonio Baldoni, captured Naples seamy side in all its splendor. Mr. Capuano makes us think about the role of this priest and his church in our society and how a gay man has to live in order to conform to its unspoken rules that discriminate men like Lorenzo to hide behind his role as a priest.

Sacret Silence is shoot in an unique way as many of the characters talk directly to the viewer. It almost seems that as if nothing else is happening around them – and it is only you they want to share their troughs with. This method adds a documentary atmosphere to the movie, which I believe will be appreciated by everyone who likes the serious European cinema.Sacret Silence is a movie about society and the way it can be blinded by its own perceptions or by people who want the others to see the world through their eyes and refuse to accept that there are other ways to think about an issue than their own.. That is why the priest is fighting with Camorra (the mafia ) – it is just that sometimes in life there is more to loose than to win.Traditional Italian songs are used for the soundtrack of Sacret Silence; most of them are performed by the 13-year-old Nunzio. I come to appreciate this music as it is evident that he feels the music – just look at his facial expression while he is singing.The movie focuses on a whole range of moral issues. The relationship between the priest and Nunzio is only one of them – at first I thought that I can understand the priest – his love for Nunzio, but at the same time his past is flashing through the eyes of the other boy who comes to visit him – and this past seems to be disturbing.Yet another issue is to be able to decide for yourself who is committing the biggest crime in this movie – it is the priest , or the mafia or may be as often happens these days the crime committer is the police itself ?