Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God
Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God Image
Metascore
73 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critics What's this?

User Score
9.4 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 5 Ratings

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  • Summary: Alex Gibney examines the charged issue of pedophilia in the Catholic Church, following a trail from the first known protest against clerical sexual abuse in the United States and all the way to the Vatican.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    Nov 14, 2012
    88
    Given the grievousness of their sins, one wonders why the church continues to shelter them. Might it not be more appropriate to excommunicate them, and refer them to the attention of the civil authorities?
  2. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: A.O. Scott
    Nov 16, 2012
    80
    There is something to be said for a clear and unblinking recitation of facts, and thankfully Mr. Gibney does a lot of that.
  3. Empire
    Reviewed by: Olly Richards
    Feb 11, 2013
    80
    It may look like a documentary but Gibney's film is a horror film in every sense. Essential, uncomfortable viewing.
  4. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Joe Neumaier
    Nov 15, 2012
    60
    Fearless nonfiction filmmaker Alex Gibney ("Taxi to the Dark Side," "Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer") details a history of horrific abuse by Catholic clergy in this tough-to-watch documentary.

See all 16 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. thebitus
    10
    I am very careful how many documentaries like this I watch. I stay away from watching them because there is nothing that I can do right away to make an impact towards the main cause of the movie. Topics like starving kids in Africa, major corporations taking over the world, etc. those are all incredibly sad, yet overwhelming for a simple individual like me.

    However, this movie addresses a topic that has been covered for many, many years, and is present all over the world, particularly in the US: sexual abuse by priests, and the covering up of their actions by their superiors all the way to the head of their denomination (in this case, the pope). I have yet to decide which part is more monstrous the act, or the cover-up.

    From a technical point of view, the movie is very well done. The agenda is very clear, but it is not filled with hatred and anger. I found it wise that the producers quietly presented the facts from the victims themselves, and included trustworthy persons in the interviews (NY Times reporter, archbishops, former priests, etc.).    … Expand

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