Overview
A provocative exploration of faith and art collides in a unique performance.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- irreverent
- theatrical
- arthouse movie night
- theater discussion
What critics said
Critics broadly found Arcand’s intelligent and audacious fusion of theology, theatricality, and social critique compelling, though some objected to its self-conscious Christ imagery and perceived smugness.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Daniel's unorthodox Passion Play is intercut with and mirrored by the actors' changing personal lives.
The actors' acclaimed production provokes opposition from the Catholic Church and exposes tensions between doctrine, commerce, and creativity.
Daniel assembles and directs a group of actors whose performance becomes a demanding moral and existential undertaking.
Montreal's contemporary cultural landscape frames the conflict between an experimental Passion Play and Catholic authority.
Films like Jesus of Montreal, and why
The Last Temptation of Christ
theatrical drama using religious imagery to interrogate faith, art, and modern society
Doubt
intelligent, provocative ensemble drama about Catholic belief, institutional hypocrisy, and moral conscience
Ordet
self-reflexive drama where performance, identity, and spiritual transformation blur together
The Decline of the American Empire
Quebec ensemble drama combining intellectual debate, sexuality, and social critique with an irreverent tone
Movie Details
- Director
- Denys Arcand
- Release Date
- 1989-05-15
- Runtime
- 119 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (99)
Cast
- Lothaire Bluteau
- Catherine Wilkening
- Johanne-Marie Tremblay
- Rémy Girard
- Robert Lepage
- Gilles Pelletier
- Yves Jacques
- Cédric Noël
- Pauline Martin
- Véronique Le Flaguais
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, Fandor Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Jesus of Montreal about?
- A Montreal theater director’s radical Passion Play turns into an unsettling spiritual reflection of the actors who create it.
- What is Jesus of Montreal like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Jesus of Montreal as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Jesus of Montreal violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Jesus of Montreal as mild.
- What did critics think of Jesus of Montreal?
- Critics broadly found Arcand’s intelligent and audacious fusion of theology, theatricality, and social critique compelling, though some objected to its self-conscious Christ imagery and perceived smugness.
- Which films are like Jesus of Montreal?
- Films with a similar feel include The Last Temptation of Christ, Doubt, Ordet, and The Decline of the American Empire.
- How long is Jesus of Montreal?
- Jesus of Montreal runs 119 minutes.
- Where can I watch Jesus of Montreal?
- In United States, Jesus of Montreal streams on Philo, Fandor Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel.
