Director Roland Joffe’s new film There Be Dragons hits the screens today. The film is about Manolo (Wes Bentley), a man who grows up with his childhood friend Josemaria Escriva (Charlie Cox), the founder of Opus Dei. Two men with similar backgrounds make very different life choices and, yet, they are alike. The film also stars Bond-girl Olga Kurylenko.

I saw some early versions of TBD since I was doing some communications work for one of the contractors. (Joffe’s masterpiece The Mission is one of my favorite films.) So I’m interested to see the final version on the big screen. Definitely on the weekend agenda.

It’s also a different portrayal of Opus Dei. Forget the albino monk of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code. Even though this is a fictional account, it presents a very real and engaging character in Josemaria.

An Opus Dei priest, Fr. John Wauck, was involved as a consultant on the film and it looks like his good advice was heard.

The Wall Street Journal’s David Gibson has an interesting review of the movie here. He goes beyond the movie to bigger issues affecting the Catholic Church:

The late John Paul II was one of those who championed the society, and as Opus Dei flourished it became a more confident, open and mainstream movement in the church. Opus Dei’s strategy of public engagement in the wake of “The Da Vinci Code” phenomenon was a model of public relations, especially for a church that can seem to make a doctrine of defensiveness.

Many of us lament the fact that there are “no good movies” being released. Here’s one. Make it a point to get to the theater this weekend to help the box office results!