The Confession (2011) Achieves the Improbable
Will an audience tune in to see a story told five minutes at a time over the course of two months? Can a “studio quality” series with “cinematic and dramatic intensity” be made and shown via the internet as “the first window of distribution”? Kiefer Sutherland thought the answer to these questions was “yes,” and he teamed with Digital Broadcast Group to produce The Confession, written and directed by Brad Mirman, starring Sutherland and John Hurt. The series debuted on Hulu on March 28, 2011, and ran for nine weeks. Flatiron Film Company is now releasing the series as a feature film cut on DVD and digital.
Sutherland stars as a hit man who enters a confessional booth on Christmas Eve. Co-star John Hurt portrays the priest hearing confessions. The first sin the hit man confesses is a murder he committed the previous night--one for which he is neither penitent nor seeking forgiveness. The priest is overcome and insists that the hit man must go to the police, however the hit man "persuades" the priest to continue their conversation.
As the hit man reveals more of his crimes he demands a degree of confession from the priest in exchange. As the men share their pasts we learn that the hit man is not all bad and the priest shoulders some guilt. Seeing the program as a whole rather than in webisodes, viewers will see where it’s all going but not necessarily why within the first fifteen minutes. They will later realize exactly how it all will end.
It’s a testament to the talents of Sutherland and Hurt that they can maintain our interest in the very tight confines of the confessional. Their own sins are relayed in flashbacks that allow the audience a better appreciation of the two characters. Although we may suspect where they are taking us, we enjoy the ride provided by the two convincing veterans.
Past experience leads to low expectations from bonus features, but viewers should watch the backstory provided for four of the hit man’s “victims,” which further illustrate his motivations and values. Bonus features also include featurettes and behind-the-scenes episodes. The Confession will be available on digital and DVD January 24, 2012.
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