The only reasons I'm giving this film a generous five star rating is A, that I'm generally biased in favor in any movie, book or play that is different, off-beat and chance-taking, as well as any that takes a firm stand against religious dogmas, be they Christian, Jewish or Muslim; and B, Diane Keaton's truly impressive performance.
What we have here is a stage play transferred to screen in a way that simply doesn't work. Having never actually seen the play I don't feel that I am able to comment on the script itself; but the adaptation is just not good enough. The pace is all wrong, and by the time you actually manage to figure out what the film is meant to be and get into it, the story is over; and the last ten minutes or so is a dull, anti-climatic, irritating montage of flashbacks from the film, that is supposed to be a trip through Sister Mary's disturbed and distressed mind, but seems more like a clip show on a TV series. Thus the ending is unsatisfying and uninteresting, as the movie seems to have run out of things to say half an hour too early.
Again, praise should go to Diane Keaton; an excellent actress, one of the finest and most under-appreciated in Hollywood, who gave in this film a great performance in a character which is miles away from her usual ones. The problem is that the rest of the cast just don't cut the mustard, and their characters are shallow and poorly developed. If the film was forty minutes or less, it might have been better. As it is, it's intriguing, and fit for TV viewing, but certainly not more.
What we have here is a stage play transferred to screen in a way that simply doesn't work. Having never actually seen the play I don't feel that I am able to comment on the script itself; but the adaptation is just not good enough. The pace is all wrong, and by the time you actually manage to figure out what the film is meant to be and get into it, the story is over; and the last ten minutes or so is a dull, anti-climatic, irritating montage of flashbacks from the film, that is supposed to be a trip through Sister Mary's disturbed and distressed mind, but seems more like a clip show on a TV series. Thus the ending is unsatisfying and uninteresting, as the movie seems to have run out of things to say half an hour too early.
Again, praise should go to Diane Keaton; an excellent actress, one of the finest and most under-appreciated in Hollywood, who gave in this film a great performance in a character which is miles away from her usual ones. The problem is that the rest of the cast just don't cut the mustard, and their characters are shallow and poorly developed. If the film was forty minutes or less, it might have been better. As it is, it's intriguing, and fit for TV viewing, but certainly not more.