Highly atmospheric exploration of guilt and redemption
“The Righteous” is the directorial debut of Mark O’Brien, who also wrote the screenplay and appears in a key role. With a nod to Ingmar Bergman’s movies and the gothic tradition of story telling, the film is a psychological drama that examines the effects of guilt, faith, and loss on an elderly couple.<br /><br />Frederic (Henry Czerny) and Ethel (Mimi Kuzyk) are grieving the accidental death of their adopted daughter when a stranger emerges from the woods surrounding their remote home, claiming to be injured. Initially suspicious of him, Frederic eventually invites him in. His name is Aaron (Mark O’Brien), and as he and Frederic talk, he seems to know a lot about his host: that he is a former priest, that he violated his vows many years ago, and that he’s been praying to God for forgiveness.<br /><br />Through a series of conversations, the two men examine Frederic’s dark past and his somber present and deal with some heavy-duty questions.  Must sin always be punished? Can wrongs be justified with good deeds? Is a tortured conscience God’s way of dispensing justice?<br /><br />Aaron is an unsettling presence with an intensity and a creepy Southern drawl. His charm can turn dark and menacing in an instant, and this balance is riveting. Is Aaron merely a person who stumbled into Frederic and Ethel’s lives or is he more than he appears? Important pieces of information are revealed sporadically, clarifying Aaron’s role in their lives. Not until late in the movie is a supernatural element introduced.<br /><br />Czerny conveys Frederic’s guilt-ridden, tortured soul with his grim expression and the look of a man suffering from a combination of constipation and self-hatred. He goes through the motions of living, consulting with a local priest (Nigel Bennett) occasionally about his thirst for redemption, and mourns the death of his faith. The role is designed to make Frederic a sympathetic character despite the baggage he carries. Czerny manages to achieve this early on, so when haunting incidents in his past are brought out by Aaron we are shocked.<br /><br />O’Brien does the difficult task of keeping a good deal of dialogue consistently gripping. Moody music underscoring these scenes helps sustain a tension that keeps the suspense at a peak. In close-up, Aaron’s eye contact with Frederic is unnerving, as if that unwavering stare itself is an accusation and an indictment. If Aaron is something other than human, his embodiment as a young man takes a note from earlier films such as “Angel Heart” and “It’s a Wonderful Life,” in which characters are metaphors representing evil and good. But director O’Brien cleverly keeps this vague until quite late in the picture, keeping us guessing and drawing us further into the intrigue he artfully creates.<br /><br />With its strong reliance on dialogue, it could be argued that “The Righteous” would work better as a play, but there are enough cinematic elements to justify the use of the medium. The film was shot in stark black and white, providing an eeriness that pervades the story. The location — an undefined place in what appears to be the middle of nowhere — adds to the strangeness of the piece. Flashbacks are used occasionally to provide insights not known to Frederic. Czerny’s craggy face, seen often in close-up, captures the former priest’s inner turmoil with subtle explicitness. And cinematographer Scott McClellan enhances the atmosphere with pools of shadow and spectral lighting.<br /><br />Bonus materials on the unrated Blu-ray release from Arrow Video, packaged in a plastic Blu-ray case with cardboard slipcase, include the following:<br />Audio Commentary by writer/director/actor Mark O’Brien and editor K. Spencer Jones<br />Mark O’Brien interview<br />Henry Czerny interview<br />Mimi Kuzyk & Kate Corbett interview<br />Spencer Jones, Editor interview<br />Scott McClellan, Cinematographer<br />Jason Clarke, Production Designer<br />Grimmfest Q & A with Mark O’Brien<br />Fantasia 2021 Stage Presentation and Q & A<br />Radio Silence Roundtable<br />Theatrical Trailer<br />Original Soundtrack & Stills<br />Booklet<br />Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Grant Boland and Oink Creative.<br /><br />Despite its small budget. “The Righteous” boasts impressive production values, with its anxiety-inducing monochromatic images amplifying Frederic’s spiritual and physical isolation. It takes its time getting into the plot. Since the trailer suggests it is a horror film, this unhurried pace is initially a letdown. Those who expect excessive bloodshed, violence and monsters will be disappointed. The film deals with the psychological effects of past actions on the present as it examines the long-range effects of sin and a man’s desperate desire for redemption. By the end of the film, it is the viewer who must decide whether Frederic has been relieved of his burden.
The movie title "The Righteous," available on Movies & TV, has received an average rating of 4.3 from 12 reviewers. 
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This title falls under the categories of Movies & TV, Blu-ray and Movies. 
The additional details include the following in key-value format :
 {"Package Dimensions": "6.77 x 5.39 x 0.71 inches; 5.92 Ounces", "Director": "Mark O'Brien", "Media Format": "Anamorphic, NTSC, Widescreen, Surround Sound", "Run time": "1 hour and 37 minutes", "Release date": "July 19, 2022", "Actors": "Henry Czerny, Mark O'Brien, Mayko Nguyen", "Studio": "Arrow Video", "Country of Origin": "USA", "Number of discs": "1"}

Here is a brief synopsis of the title : A brooding occult horror with echoes of Bergman and Pasolini,.