The Apostate (2000)

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Richard Grieco turns in the best performance of his checkered career in this underappreciated little thriller.

Father Michael (Richard Grieco), returns to his native Puerto Rico for his brother Sean's (Branden Williams) funeral. Sean was a prostitute slashed to death by sicky artist Lewis (Dennis Hopper), and the blood was splashed on the walls. I didn't ruin anything for you, Lewis is shown doing the killing. Another woman is killed by Lewis, and Father Michael sees the crime scene, courtesy of his detective Uncle Daniel (Efrain Figueroa). Michael is also an artist and immediately recognizes that Lewis is not just leaving gory crime scenes, he is painting with the blood. Michael goes undercover to root Lewis out, also meeting the ironically named Mary (Bridget White), a nude artist and friend of the dead woman's roommate, who happens to be Michael's former lover. Michael goes through the San Juan underbelly, and of course, struggles with his faith, which was tenuous at best.

Gove directed his own script, and has a fantastic eye. The camera loves Grieco, who looks just plain cool in a priest's clothing. He has one great scene where he is talking about artistic technique while trying to hold down his lunch at a crime scene. He is really fantastic in this film, and I wish he could find better parts. Hopper is okay in the psycho role that he was constantly playing- this could be the mad bomber from "Speed." One problem I had was with director Gove's obsession with wrought iron and barred windows and doors. Every character in the film, major and minor, go through doors or windows with bars or they peer into windows with bars, and eventually the whole cute idea gets overwrought (ha-ha).

If you want films to compare this to, think of it as a cross between "True Confessions" and "Seven." Gove may be reaching putting a priest on the case, but Grieco more than makes up for the script's minor foibles. I recommend this one. Also known as "Michael Angel."

Stats:
(2000) 94 min. (* * * 1/2) out of five stars
-Written and Directed by William Gove
-Cast: Richard Grieco, Dennis Hopper, Efrain Figueroa, Branden Williams, Bridget White, Kristin Minter, Frank Medrano, Michael Cole, Ivonne Coll, Perri Lister, Phillip Stewart, Johanna Quintero, Jesus M. Alvarez
(R)