Based on a 19th century Portuguese novel, "O Crime do Padre Amaro," written by Jose Maria Eca de Queiroz, "The Crime of Padre Amaro," is a melodramatic Mexican film about a young priest who enters a corrupt milieu and soon finds himself with troubles of his own.

Starring Gael Garcia Bernal, whom we saw earlier recently in "Amores Perros" and the steamy "Y Tu Mama Tambien," plays Padre Amaro, who arrives in a small town, fresh out of seminary, at the behest of the bishop (Ernesto Gomez Cruz), who appears to be grooming young Amaro to be his assistant. But before that can happen, the bishop needs to clear up a few matters in Los Reyes. Sending Amaro seems to be a test for the young priest, but that test is nothing compared to the temptation he must overcome.

Amaro's bus is held up on a deserted road before he even arrives. A bad omen, perhaps. Soon he meets Father Benito (Sancho Gracia), a veteran priest who, despite being embroiled in a long-running sexual affair with local restaurateur Sanjuanera (Angelica Aragon), rules with a strict hand.

In the parish is the devious-looking Dionisia (Luisa Huertes), who cherry-picks money from the church collection plate and brings home her communion wafer and feeds it to her cat.

Then there is Sanjuanera's beautiful daughter, Amelia (Ana Claudia Talancon), who is a devout Catholic who loves God more than her boyfriend Ruben (Andres Montiel), recently hired by a big regional newspaper.

Father Benito is building a clinic on the edge of town thanks to money apparently donated by the mayor and his wife. But the clinic is more like a modern hospital and it clearly can't be funded solely by a small-town mayor.

A cache of photos is delivered to the newspaper and Ruben breaks the story that Padre Benito is running with drug lords. In the same story are details about a liberal priest, Padre Natalio (Damian Alcazar), who lives among the peasants of a tiny village. Natalio, a liberation theologist, is accused of aiding guerillas, who, in reality, appear to be the peasants trying to free themselves for persecution at the hands of the drug lords and corrupt cops.

The bishop attempts to cover up Don Benito's woes and apparently does so successfully. He's less willing to go to bat for Don Natalio, however, who is threatened with excommunication. Throughout, 24-year-old Padre Amaro is the bishop's messenger and functionary.

Meanwhile, he's become the focus of 16-year-old Amelia's amorous attentions. He can extricate himself from the controversies of his brethren, but what about from his own desires?

Director Carlos Carrera paints a picture of a society lorded over by a church corrupt in countless ways. But the church is not alone, the town's mayor and newspaper editor seem to run a pretty close second and third.

He also follows the finely nuanced story of a good soul's descent into corruption, immorality and ruin. Beautifully photographed, wonderfully acted and skillfully plotted, "The Crime of Padre Amaro" is a fine film.

"The Crime of Padre Amaro" opens Fri., Dec. 13 at Landmark's Oriental Theatre.