RECKONING with PAUL BETTANY

RECKONING -- Evidently there are two movies called Reckoning released the same year. The other Reckoning is described as a horror movie and is NOT this one.

First, Paul Bettany is not hard on the eyes. Blue eyes and blond hair. Excellent actor.

I think what I like best about him is his deep voice and lovely British accent.

I first noticed him in the movie A Beautiful Mind. He was the imaginary friend of John Nash. He also met his wife on the set of that movie--Jennifer Connelly. He has played priests and monks in a few movies like Da Vinci Code and sequel.

Bettany has a list of other movies on IMDb. He's been a supporting actor much of the time. Plays, now one of the characters in Avengers; a red guy with a strange costume.

In Reckoning he is the lead character. The movie hinges on his character. In literary terms the story is told from his POV (point of view.) That doesn't mean he narrates, just in case you wonder.

I thought Reckoning was a newer movie than it is. Came out in 2003-2004. I assume both has to do with when it was released in Britain and then in the United States. I don't care enough to stop here and look it up.

I now have, in addition to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Acorn and several free streaming channels such as Crackle, PBS, History. I assume I am now a movieholic, huh?

I will tell you now that Reckoning is a deep movie. The blurbs about the plot of the movie are shallow so don't even bother to look them up. For instance it's a drama not a mystery. It's awesome in the true definition of the word. It's about a priest who leaves his church in the Middle Ages. He find himself in a group of actors who travel from town to town to put on morality plays (stories from the Bible.)

The priest sees an injustice in the town and tries to convince his acting troupe to put on a play about recent events in the town with hopes of helping the townspeople see themselves in a new light.

There is also several mysteries, one in which he has to reveal he is a priest. There is suspense and danger. Tension and strength of character. In short I was blow away by this movie though it doesn't really try to do that. It's just a good movie.

There is nothing wrong with any part of this movie. Everything and everyone is wonderful. 

It's a dang good movie for the thinking-person. If you like to watch movies with LIFE portrayed in a dramatic, dynamic way please watch this movie.

Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany