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Absolution

Absolution

One man, two boys... one deadly game.

19786.41h 35m

Overview

At a Catholic boys' school, domineering disciplinarian Father Goddard rules over his pupils with an iron hand. When one of his teenage charges confesses to murder, the dogmatic but deeply repressed Goddard finds his faith challenged and his life spiralling dangerously out of control.

Directed by Anthony Page
Written by Anthony Shaffer
Produced by Elliott Kastner, Danny O'Donovan
0

Top Cast

Richard Burton

Richard Burton

Father Goddard

Dominic Guard

Dominic Guard

Benjamin 'Benjie' Stanfield

David Bradley

David Bradley

Arthur Dyson

Billy Connolly

Billy Connolly

Blakey

Andrew Keir

Andrew Keir

Headmaster

Willoughby Gray

Willoughby Gray

Brigadier Walsh

P

Preston Lockwood

Father Hibbert

J

James Ottaway

Father Matthews

Brook Williams

Brook Williams

Father Clarence

Robin Soans

Robin Soans

Father Henryson

Themes & Keywords

catholic schoolcatholic priestboys' schoolconfession booth

About Absolution

Absolution is a drama, thriller, mystery film released in 1978 exploring themes of catholic school, catholic priest, boys' school, confession booth. Directed by Anthony Page, it stars Richard Burton, Dominic Guard, David Bradley. At a Catholic boys' school, domineering disciplinarian Father Goddard rules over his pupils with an iron hand. When one of his teenage charges confesses to murder, the dogmatic but deeply repressed Goddard finds his faith challenged and his life spiralling dangerously out of control.

Movies Similar to Absolution

Discover titles like Absolution — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to Absolution

If you enjoyed Absolution, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of Absolution.

Heaven Help Us
37% Match

Sixteen-year-old Michael Dunn arrives at St. Basil's Catholic Boys School in Brooklyn circa 1965. There, he befriends all of the misfits in his class as they collide with the repressive faculty and discover the opposite sex as they come of age.

The Chocolate War
36% Match

Jerry, a new student at an elite Catholic prep school, must face the hazing practices handed down by the Vigils, a group of powerful students. When teacher Brother Leon pushes the students to sell chocolates for a fundraiser, the head of the Vigils, Archie, gets Jerry to reject selling for 10 days. However, Jerry decides to keep up the refusal past the original time frame, which pits him against the Vigils and the school staff.

Corpus Christi
29% Match

A pious 20-year-old juvenile delinquent is sent to work at a sawmill in a small town; on arrival, he dresses up as a priest and accidentally takes over the local parish. The arrival of this young, charismatic preacher is an opportunity for the local community to begin the healing process after a tragedy that happened a year prior.

Words on Bathroom Walls
27% Match

Diagnosed with a mental illness halfway through his senior year of high school, a witty, introspective teen struggles to keep it a secret while falling in love with a brilliant classmate who inspires him to open his heart and not be defined by his condition.

Saint Ralph
26% Match

This Canadian made comedy/drama, set in Hamilton, Ontario in 1954, is a sweet and - at times - goofy story that becomes increasingly poignant as the minutes tick by. It's the fictional tale of a wayward 9th grader, Ralph (Adam Butcher), who is secretly living on his own while his widowed, hospitalized mother remains immersed in a coma. Frequently in trouble with Father Fitzpatrick (Gordon Pinsent), the principal of his all-boys, Catholic school, Ralph is considered something of a joke among peers until he decides to pull off a miracle that could save his mother, i.e., winning the Boston Marathon. Coached by a younger priest and former runner, Father Hibbert (Campbell Scott), whose cynicism has been lifted by the boy's pure hope, Ralph applies himself to his unlikely mission, fending off naysayers and getting help along a very challenging path from sundry allies and friends.

Priest
25% Match

Priest(1995)

Movie6.3/10

The deeply held religious convictions of an idealistic young priest are challenged when he must face extraordinary events within his own congregation.

The Mighty Macs
24% Match

In 1971, Cathy Rush becomes the head basketball coach at a tiny, all-girls Catholic college. Though her team has no gym and no uniforms — and the school itself is in danger of being sold — Rush looks to steer her girls to their first national championship.

Salvador
24% Match

Salvador(1986)

Movie7.0/10

In 1980, an American journalist covering the Salvadoran Civil War becomes entangled with both the leftist guerrilla groups and the right-wing military dictatorship while trying to rescue his girlfriend and her children.

Foul Play
23% Match

Foul Play(1978)

Movie6.3/10

A shy San Francisco librarian and a bumbling cop fall in love as they solve a crime involving albinos, dwarves, and the Catholic Church.

The Devil's Playground
23% Match

A powerful drama relating the intimate aspect of teenage boys and their priest/educators behind the walls of a religious institution where rigid discipline backfires natural feelings are deemed unnatural acts and human lives are controlled in the names of good intentions.

The Sessions
22% Match

Though a childhood bout with polio left him dependent on an iron lung, Mark O'Brien maintains a career as a journalist and poet. A writing assignment dealing with sex and the disabled piques Mark's curiosity, and he decides to investigate the possibility of experiencing sex himself. When his overtures toward a caregiver scare her away, he books an appointment with sex surrogate Cheryl Cohen-Greene to lose his virginity.

Silentium
22% Match

Silentium(2004)

Movie7.2/10

A man who accused a catholic bishop of abusing him when he was a child dies in the Austrian city Salzburg. Everyone except his widow and the eccentrical detective Simon Brenner keeps silent and believes that the man killed himself.

Diabolique
22% Match

Diabolique(1996)

Movie5.5/10

The wife and mistress of a cruel school master collaborate in a carefully planned and executed scheme to murder him. The plan goes well until the body, which has been strategically dumped, disappears. The psychological strain starts to weigh on the two women when a retired police investigator begins looking into the man's disappearance on a whim.