Spearheaded by Pope John XXIII in 1962, the Second Vatican Council brought liberal change to the Roman Catholic Church, causing a radical theological shift. Novitiate tells the story of shy 17-year-old Cathleen Harris (Margaret Qualley), a young woman with religious fervor who subsequently questions her faith and vocation. Raised by a single mother (Julianne Nicholson) in a non-religious household, Cathleen is given a scholarship to a nearby parochial school, where she learns about Catholicism. Ignoring her mother's observation that “there's more to life than God and church and praying,” Cathleen enters a cloistered convent as a postulant. The stern Mother Superior (Melissa Leo) introduces herself as “God's representative on Earth,” firmly declaring that “God is not a fantasy, nor a daydream, and not your invisible friend”—and she alone will decide over the coming months whether the young women are worthy of continuing their holy commitment. Admitting that she was dazzled by Audrey Hepburn in A Nun's Story, it's obvious that one woman (Maddie Hasson) won't last long, but pious Cathleen seems determined to become a bride of Christ, taking final vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience. Writer-director Maggie Betts pulls back the curtain on convent life, revealing the mental and physical hardships that the women endure, here partially due to the melodramatic sadism of Mother Superior, who initially refuses to abandon the draconian discipline (like self-flagellation) she has observed for 40 years. An uneven but also thought-provoking film, this is a strong optional purchase. [Note: Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by writer-director Maggie Betts, a cast Q&A (26 min.), extended and deleted scenes (24 min.), and an alternate ending (4 min.). Bottom line: a solid extras package for an interesting but flawed drama.] (S. Granger)
Novitiate
Sony, 123 min., R, Blu-ray: $30.99, Mar. 6 Volume 33, Issue 2
Novitiate
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