The orginal source novel may have been set in the Portugal of 1875 but some things never change...the Catholic church proving more resistant than most.

Director Carlos Carrera uses the central story of a young priest to have a pop at basically every ecclesiastical taboo, including chastity, corruption and abortion.

Bishop's protege Father Amaro is sent to the small Mexican town of Los Rayes where the two powers are the church and a local drugs lord, who appears to recruit his security guards from the ranks of The Chippendales.

Under the approving eye of local priest Father Benito (Gracia), the two enjoy a mutually rewarding existence - the mobster launders drug money via the church which, in turn, gets a new clinic built.

When local newspaper reporter Ruben de la Rosa (Andres Montiel) lifts the lid on the cosy relationship the church is forced to take action.

However, when the Catholic church acts it acts to protect itself...so the editor of the offending rag is warned if a full rebuttal isn't published then advertising will dry up.

The second plot strand follows Father Amaro's increasing attraction to the devout Amelia (Claudia Talencon) and their illicit affair.

Carrera describes the central character of Amaro as a "good soul" with good intentions but Garcia Bernal's portrayal colours him as a bit of a self-righteous prig.

Only once at the beginning of the film do we see an act of selfless Christianity and then it all goes downhill as he fulfills the part of a Catholic company man.

Interwoven among the two main narrative threads - the corruption of both the church and the individual - are a number of strands that end up overburdening the whole affair.

Among these are the true good priest (who winds up excommunicated) and the casually corrupt bishop, who has the aura of a Mafia don.

Good performances and competent storytelling are the main strengths even if the ending lapses into the overwrought emotions of a soap opera.

Tim Evans