The Little Hours

"The Little Hours" (2017 release; 90 min.) brings the story of a group of nuns in a small convent. As the movie opens, we are reminded it is "Garfagnana 1347", and we watch as the nuns go about their daily tasks and deal with their frustrations. Meanwhile, the handyman at a nearby castle is found out to be cheating with his master's wife, and as luck would have it, he ends up being hired by the priest running the convent. It's not long before some of the nuns have "impure thoughts"... To tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: the movie is very loosely based on/inspired by the book "The Decameron" by Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio (and source for the infamous 1971 movie of the same name by Pier Paolo Pasolini). Writer-director Jeff Baena takes a couple of the dozens of tales found in that book, and builds a script around it that is intended to showcase several of the actresses playing the nuns, including Alison Brie and Audrey Plaza (the latter also being a co-producer). The handyman is portrayed by Dave Franco (brother of James Franco, and looking remarkably similar). It took my quite a while to get into the flow of the movie, as at first we're not sure what to make of all this (the F-bomb laced outbursts, for one). Is this even comedy? If so, it's certainly one with a heavy twist of semi-absurd Monty Python-inspired comedy. The movie really hits its stride in the second half, where there are some memorable scenes (the "confession" taken by the priest of the handyman truly is a classic). The priest is played hilariously by John C. Reilly, who seems to revel in this part. Given that I had no idea in the initial 20 min. whether I would even stay through the end of the movie, that is quite remarkable!

"The Little Hours" premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival to positive buzz, and so when it finally opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, it was a given that I would check it our. The Sunday evening screening where I saw this at was attended nicely, somewhat to my surprise. Maybe people will find this a quirky little comedy. For me it was a bit too much all over the map, even if the second half is markedly better than the first half. In any event, I encourage you to check it out, be it in the theater, on VOD or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

The Little Hours is a hilarious and ribald romp involving nuns, priests, laborers and hypocrisy. Though it takes place in the 14th century and features era-appropriate setting and attire, the dialogue and behavior are decidedly modern.

To open the film, three nuns at a convent diligently attend to their daily chores-an innocent beginning. When a polite handyman merely says hello, one of the nuns, Fernanda, lambasts him, "you f***ing pervert! Don't look at us!" Clearly the unhinged member of the group, Fernanda is played wonderfully by Aubrey Plaza, who seems to have a knack for this sort of thing.

The other two nuns, Alessandra (Alison Brie) and Genevra (Kate Micucci), also deal with their own demons, though without the same raging outbursts. All of them are sexually repressed and desperate for attention, so when a handsome laborer (Dave Franco) shows up, they all aggressively pursue him in their own way.

The introduction of a man into an all-female environment calls to mind themes of The Beguiled. The women compete for his attention, throwing themselves lustily at the poor fella, who is only here because he had to flea his prior post for sneaking around with the owner's wife. He wants to avoid similar trouble here but can only resist for so long.

The plot could easily read as a tragedy if a few tweaks were made. It's an illustration of how fine the line can be between comedy and deep drama.

But, of course, no one would mistake this for a drama. The actors make sure of that. Plaza's ruthless, domineering presence intimidates fellow characters and amuses viewers, who are safe from her wrath. Micucci masterfully plays the smarmy beta, fearful and uncertain of everything. When she finally cuts loose, she's a tornado of libido. Her knack for physical comedy and facial contortions make her the comedy standout of the film. And John C. Reilly's drunken, blubbering priest listens carefully to confessions and gives sage advice but is hiding depravity of his own.

As the plot dives deeper and deeper into exaggerated hypocrisy, it becomes funnier and funnier. The bold and self-assured delivery of its barbs at religion is a clear acknowledgement that it smirks at those who may find the material offensive.

With less capable direction, this movie could have sputtered halfway through. It operates mostly on the strength of one joke, so competent hands at the reigns were necessary to maintain the momentum.

The messages are complex and heavy, but the film approaches with a light touch. It remains hilarious throughout, no matter how ridiculous the events unfolding become.

Loosen up and enjoy this one. It's a riot.

In "The Decameron", Boccaccio writes about a group of travelers trying to avoid the plague. While hanging out together, they tell various stories to pass the time. Many of the stories are sexual and crude...something that might surprise some readers about 14th century literature. "The Little Hours" is based on a couple of these stories and the overtone of the film fits in with Boccaccio's vision.

The setting is in a cloister with some nuns who pretty obviously DON'T want to be nuns. This isn't really hard to believe, as during that time, unwanted and unwed daughters were often forced into nunneries...that, or face starvation. The story centers on three of them...three very worldly nuns who seem less interested in piety and more on sex, drinking and even witchcraft!! Into the midst of these wicked nuns is introduced a new groundskeeper...one who supposedly is deaf. And, being unable to speak or hear, the fleshly women, one by one, have their way with this handsome man. What's next? See the film.

This film clearly is a rated R film, as it's almost completely focused on sex. There is some nudity, but not nearly as much as their could have been....especially with "The Decameron".

So is it any good? It's okay...modestly enjoyable and worth seeing if you want something very different. A most unusual film..and while it might easily offend you, that IS "The Decameron"...a story filled with lots of lusty tales...100 of them (hence the name).

The Little Hours is an indie comedy with an appealing cast and premise that unfortunately is likely to offend more people than it amuses. Allison Brie, Aubrey Plaza and Kate Micucci star as three young novitiates in the Middle Ages. The first two would vastly prefer life away from the isolated convent, and are champing at the bit in various ways. The third is a goody-two-shoes who eagerly tails and snitches on the others for the slightest no- nos. In fairness, she's just as hard on herself, wearing out the confessional priest (John C, Reilly) who must endure her detailed recitations of trivial trespasses.

When a roguish servant (Dave Franco) is caught boinking the wife of a nearby lord (Nick Offerman), he flees in justifiable fear of his life, running into the drunken priest, who was in the midst of his own self-inflicted distress. After helping him recover, they devise a plan. Franco will return to the convent with him, pretending to be a deaf-mute laborer, allowing sanctuary for one, and a relief from the foul-mouthed invectives the young ladies had regularly screamed at the last poor sap who held the job.

That sets up the main theme - sexual curiosity and silly seduction attempts for everyone under 25, and perhaps beyond. When the befuddled bishop (Fred Armisen) arrives for an inspection, he's overwhelmed by the shocking closeted capers in the cloisters.

The film is loosely based on a social and religious satire of that era, Boccaccio's Decameron, which pointed its barbs at hypocrisy and other ills of The Church and The Gentry. Writer/director Jeff Baena seems to have grasped what he wanted to accomplish, but did far better at reeling in a talented cast and finding exceptional locations than in giving them a worthy script to cash in on those preparations. The farcical element of the nuns-to-be flailing about frenetically to lose their sexual naivete could have been far more amusing and/or titillating. The shock value of young nuns from long ago cursing like 21st Century punks isn't enough to carry an entire feature.

Baena's best previous script was the wryly comic I Heart Huckabees, which also tried to include intellect-oriented humor. Baena didn't direct that one. He also shared the writing with the more accomplished David Russell, whose credits include wearing both hats for American Hustle and Silver Linings Playbook. Baena still needs more time on the ascending side of the learning curve, but he's only 40, and seems to be heading in a worthy direction. After all, any guy with a relatively small list of credits who can sign so many gifted comic actors (Paul Reiser, Adam Pally and Molly Shannon, too) must have something on the ball to reward their faith, even if this wasn't necessarily it. Stay tuned...

Loved it. We saw it at the Sydney Film Festival.

The film will struggle to find the audience it deserves because selling a medieval bawdy romp in today's market is difficult. I think back to the 70's and there were many more of these.

The cast is fun and the presence of quality actors such as Nick Offerman and John C Reily show it is not an ultra-low soft-porn production, though the titling could be referencing that at the start.

I saw this at the same weekend as the Beguiled, also about a group of women cloistered who encounter a single male. LH is far more fun and a better use of your time.

Set in Tuscany (no production notes on filming locations) it is prettily shot.

Nudity is not overused, there are a couple of breast shots and the full frontal stuff is in the distance by firelight so hardly tittilating. Nothing that was not done ad nauseum through the 70's