Sister Act

I seem to be the only person who has noticed the remarkable similarity between "Sister Act" and "Brother Orchid", a 1940 Edward G. Robinson film. Does anyone else agree? Certainly the details of the plot have been changed to make the central character female and a singer. In the earlier play/film the Robinson character was a gangster who took refuge in a monastery when he was in trouble with the mob. He uses his business "talent" to put the institution on a better footing, as I remember, by selling flowers. The basic plot is that of the worldly individual entering a religious setting, at first attempting to con the inmates, and then becoming a real part of their system.

This movie is very entertaining, even if you know what is going to happen the entire time. The singing is glorious and the cast is up for anything. Whoopi is terrific and funny - so is Kathy Nijimy. It's definately worth seeing, at least once.

I really like this movie and the sequel, this one being the better movie. The third act is silly perhaps, and the crime subplot could have been a little better handled. However, a lot of things make this movie terrific and very entertaining.

I just love the songs, they are so upbeat and joyful, and they are wonderfully staged and sung. The nuns are great to watch, they are sweet, innocent and so easy to fall in love with. Whoopi Goldberg is absolutely terrific in the lead, she really gives it her all and it comes through loud and clear. The film looks great too, goes at a good pace and has a decent story and funny and charming script. Also, the direction is competent, and Maggie Smith is a welcome presence.

Overall, thoroughly enjoyable and if you haven't seen the West End stage show, do, it's even better. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith, Harvey Keitel The nineties were an interesting time for movies to be made. This is hardly a spectacular film, but it is certainly amusing, and there are far worse things you can waste your time on. Like cable.

The plot of the movie is fairly basic. Delores VanCartier (Goldberg) is a lounge singer with a married lover who happens to be a drug dealer and other crime related stuff. Delores decides that she's going to leave Vince (Keitel), but when she goes to give him back the jacket he gave her and say goodbye, she happens to walk in right as Vince is getting his goons to shoot his less than loyal limo driver. Oddly enough, Delores runs like the dickens, basically straight to the police station.

Apparently it will take about two months for a trial date, so until that time, one of the officers hides Delores in a place that Vince would never look for her. A convent. Delores, an off colour black woman with a racy past, ends up pretending to be a nun. The Reverend Mother of the convent (Smith) is slightly less than thrilled at the prospect of having Delores stay with them, but the police do make a substantial donation to compensate them for their kindness.

After a long period of not fitting in anywhere in the convent, the Reverend Mother finally decides to put Delores in the choir. Delores brings her musical talent to the table, and the once atrocious choir at the convent starts to get a little bit better. Then a lot better. Eventually they are ready to sing in mass, and when they do sing, the rest of the nuns just look back and forth at each other as if they can't believe their ears. You can almost hear the thoughts streaming through their minds: "THIS can NOT be the same choir!" But rather than just sing traditional hymns, Delores jazzes things up a little bit and puts some twists into a few old favorites. This doesn't exactly thrill the Reverend Mother, but since it does bring people from the streets into the mass services, she can hardly object.

The convent gains popularity, the crowds start pouring in, and the once backwards convent starts to right itself, thanks to Delores. However, since there is a leak in the police station, Vince eventually finds out where Delores is hiding and goes to find her.

The rest of the movie plays out in a fairly standard manner, but it still highly amusing. Like I said before, not an Academy Award winning flick, but a good way to kill an hour and a half without having to think too hard.

Bottom Line: 3 out of 4 (worth a look)

Sister Act

Deloris Van Cartier (Whoopi Goldberg) is a lounge singer at a successful Reno casino, and is also the mistress of its manager, Vince LaRocca (a lazy Harvey Keitel), a drugs baron. Feeling unloved, she finally decides to quit her job at the casino and split up with Vince when he gives her his wife's old fur coat as a present. But then Deloris accidentally walks in on Vince dispatching one of his snitch employees, and literally has to make a run for her life. Taking refuge with the police, she discovers that she is required to testify in court when Vince is charged for his dirty deeds. But until then, the police arrange for her to hide out at a nunnery in Chicago, overseen by the Mother Superior (Maggie Smith). As Deloris reluctantly adapts to her new lifestyle as Sister Mary Clarence, she strikes up friendships with the unsuspecting nuns at the monastery, and even finds a way to put her singing skills to good use. But wherever she goes, Vince is never far behind…

The above plot synopsis is likely to imply to the unknowing that 'Sister Act' is a "woman in jeopardy" thriller, when actually it's the complete opposite. The creators of the film seem to have designed a worthy fish-out-of-water comedy, and then simply used the bookends of the film as window dressing. It's all the story you need, though, when you have Whoopi Goldberg in the lead.

I've always had a preferment to Goldberg's shockingly underused skills as a dramatic actress, but her funny act can make virtually any film enjoyable. This is one of them. However, this being a family film, the climax is slightly underwhelming, and seems to be trying to be funny that actually letting off tension. But 'Sister Act' is a decent comedy regardless.

~ 7/10 ~