Overview
A hitman seeks redemption on Christmas Eve, confronting his past in a church confessional.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- serious
- remorseful
- suspenseful
- late night viewing
- christmas eve viewing
What critics said
Critics found the short-form presentation crisp and accessible, while viewing its overall effect as more conclusive than innovative.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The hitman enters a church on Christmas Eve to confess his sins to a priest, making spiritual judgment the central dramatic engine.
The church confession frames a series of flashbacks that disclose the Confessor’s journey and criminal past.
The central figure is a hitman whose confession and encounter with the priest foreground guilt, redemption, and the consequences of killing.
The confession takes place in a church on Christmas Eve, juxtaposing a sacred holiday with the protagonist’s violent history.
Films like The Confession, and why
The American
shared hitman protagonist, moral reckoning, religious imagery, and compressed crime drama structure
A History of Violence
shared crime thriller tension, spiritual questioning, and a professional killer confronting conscience
The Boondock Saints
shared confessional atmosphere, criminal violence, and redemption through moral confrontation
Movie Details
- Director
- Brad Mirman
- Release Date
- 2011-05-02
- Runtime
- 63 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (51)
Cast
- John Hurt
- Kiefer Sutherland
- Max Casella
- Michael Badalucco
- Daniel London
Common questions
- What is The Confession about?
- On Christmas Eve, a professional killer seeks spiritual absolution from a priest while memories of violence expose the cost of his attempted redemption.
- What is The Confession like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Confession as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Confession violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Confession as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Confession?
- Critics found the short-form presentation crisp and accessible, while viewing its overall effect as more conclusive than innovative.
- Which films are like The Confession?
- Films with a similar feel include The American, A History of Violence, and The Boondock Saints.
- How long is The Confession?
- The Confession runs 63 minutes.
