Sister Act, 1992

Sister Act, 1992
Director: Emile Ardolino
Cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy



Stage: Home theatre, TV selection. Evening after exhausting aerobics double class and dancing.


Sister act in short: Sister Act is about a Reno lounge singer named Deloris Van Carter who witnesses her mobster boyfriend killing an employer. She is then hidden in a convent under a witness protection program. She soon makes friends with the nuns especially Sister Mary Robert, Sister Mary Lazuras and Sister Mary Patrick. After the Mother Superior catches Deloris going out to a bar in the night time followed by Mary Robert and Mary Patrick she orders her to join the church choir. Only to find her coaching the choir and turning them into swingin' singin' sisters. The choir proves to be a big success with the surrounding neighborhood, but will Deloris' boyfriend track her down...




Preps: again one of the early nineties. One of the classics. I cannot count number of times I have seen this piece. I just love it.



Reality: True.. This, besides Ghost, is one of Whoopi Goldberg prime comedy casts. You cannot not enjoy her performance. You should be a lunetic not to like her and not to become a huge fan of nun society, after seeing this piece. The storyline is interesting, hiding a notorious (not successful, but known) singer in a convent. To pray, do her sermons and wait to testify. The true story is hidden obviously in the conversion she makes and the turnover in her soul, when she all of the sudden, wants to do good and feels the need to do so. Turning the choir into a huge success is obviously her natural role and she takes this over with a sense of music. However, I believe the piece reveals the true mistery why noone wants to go to church and why is "heavenly" music the one that packs the joing. As Mary Clarence claims in Sister Act (one of my favourite quotes):

Reverend Mother: Girl groups? Boogie woogie on the piano? What were you thinking?
Delores: I was thinkin' more like Vegas, y'know, get some butts in the seats.
Reverend Mother: And what next? Popcorn? Curtain calls? This is not a theater or a casino.
Delores: Yeah, but that's the problem. See, people like going to theaters, and they like going to casinos, but they don't like coming to church. Why? Because it's a drag. But we could change all that, see? We could pack this joint.
Reverend Mother: Through blasphemy? You have corrupted the entire choir!

Delores makes church an interesting place to go to, all in the name of music that they are singing. And on the other hand, she becomes revealed once media hops on the chance to expose the new age in convent.

All in all, this is a funny piece, filled with excellent music, a new approach to faith also for all the people that don't go to church and think ironicly of processes/religious rituals. Whoopi Goldberg is truly superior in her role, speaks as the voice of the masses, that won't allow religion in their lives. I have learned a lot about the life of nuns - from an amateur point of view, however, I also think it has shown the non-religious point of view and things we need to respect. Being a nun is a matter of choice and if it suits to lives of individuals, noone is to say this is wrong or lame. It showed the fun part, if they want to be fun. That everything is possible. And proved the saying "God works in misterious ways".


Still, a sanctuary and place to hide, convent. Not only for ones hiding from being killed. The place, where I believe you find your soul and purpose, because the burden of every day dissappears and all you can do is think of the big Why. Nevertheless, I think the movie is one of greater comedies in the nineties and you are going to enjoy it big time.


My personal rating: 8,0 (funny, entertaining, good scenario, good story, good flow. I adore Whoopi and think it is one of her bigger triumphs)



Sister Act on IMDB