Romero (1989)

IMDb plot summary: The life and work of Archbishop Oscar Romero who opposed, at great personal risk, the tyrannical repression in El Salvador.

Directed by John Duigan. Stars Raul Julia, Richard Jordan, and Ana Alicia.

Romero stars Raul Julia as real-life El Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, who encouraged the church to take a stand against government corruption, despite the danger it put his life in. This is a slow burn, but I'd say the story is worth it in the end. I'm always drawn to stories about people of faith standing up for justice, and this one handles that theme with nuance. Julia does a great job playing this character. He is not flashy, but he brings quiet conviction to the role, making him feel very human -- extremely important for a film that could lean into sappy adoration. By the time the credits rolled, I found myself wanting to learn more about Romero himself. While the film is often very dry, I suspect its final effect is that it will linger with me for awhile.

How it entered my Flickchart:

🎥 Romero (1989)

📊 Ranked #1973/4063 on my Flickchart

🎯 Flickscore™: 51

beat How I Live Now (#2030 → #2032)

lost to The Impostors (#981 → #983)

lost to Kajaki (#1521 → #1533)

lost to Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (#1776 → #1767)

beat Sweet Charity (#1902 → #1929)

lost to A Warm Corner (#1837 → #1795)

lost to Orgazmo (#1870 → #1578)

lost to Kanal (#1886 → #1677)

beat The Ladykillers (#1894 → #1921)

beat Roma (#1890 → #1898)

beat King Kong (#1888 → #2139)

lost to To Be or Not to Be (#1887 → #1862)