Monk Dawson review

Seventies-set Monk Dawson tells how Eddie Dawson (Michie), an idealistic young Catholic priest expelled from a Benedictine monastery in Yorkshire, is posted by his superiors to a wealthy London parish. There, his questioning articles upset the religious authorities, while his priestly vows are put to the test by teenage temptress Theresa (Steavenson-Payne).

This is a watchable, but fundamentally shallow romance, adapted by 23-year-old Tom Waller from Pier Paul Read's novel. It looks more like a TV mini-series than a movie intended for cinema release. Far too much incident is crammed into James Magrane's improbable screenplay (which unfolds through flashbacks during the space of 40 years) at the expense of both character and theme development. Michie's central performance also lacks the passion and intensity which might have given this more of an emotional charge.