“Popieluszko: Freedom is Within Us” is a Polish film on the life of Solidarity labor priest and modern martyr of communism Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko and is now available from Ignatius Press (Polish with English subtitles.) The style of “Freedom” is European and the soundtrack is often compelling. “Freedom” is well acted and begins by cutting in deep to the time of Father Jerzy’s mandatory military service. The priest refused to cooperate with his commanding officers and prayed aloud whenever he could. He suffered bodily punishment for his infractions. This was good training for standing up to the government he would soon be in serious conflict with. Father Jerzy was a humble, refined man — who attended to the most delicate details of pastoral care — but he was also tough as nails. The cohesiveness, religious faith and resistance of the Polish people in the face of violent oppression is well portrayed. The amazing thing about Polish culture is its unique unity across social strata: from the poorest manual laborer to the university professor to students to the arts community to the episcopate (often of noble lineage). For those of us who lived through this period, we remember all the names, dates and places. For those who did not, the film is a bit chaotic at times, as it tries to organically introduce information in a dramatic way, often incorporating actual footage of protests, news reports, strikes and John Paul II’s visits to Poland. But no matter. This is a story about a priest of the people who went out among them, participated in their deepest concerns and “smelled like the sheep,” as Pope Francis has been telling priests they must. The large-scale reenactments are convincing, but the smaller action often lags with short vignettes meant to build relationships among characters. It is often so choppy, disjointed, intricate and arcane that it is unsuccessful. Coming in at 149 minutes, there are many small scenes that could have been eliminated. However, it’s a good film to watch to understand what must be done, what strategies work in the face of oppression. The lies, evil genius and devious tactics of the communists are on full display here, as well as the Polish people’s strength in resistance. Father Jerzy faced opposition from all sides, including his superiors in the church. What was the prudent thing to do? What was the courageous thing to do? What was the right thing to do? For Father Jerzy, silence was not the answer.