Sister Act (1 & 2)
SISTER ACT (15)
D: Emile Ardolino
Touchstone/Touchwood Pacific Partners (Teri
Schwartz)
US 1992
100 mins
Comedy
W: Joseph Howard
DP: Adam Greenberg
Ed: Richard Halsey
Mus: Marc Shaiman
Whoopi Goldberg (Deloris Van Cartier / Sister Mary
Clarence), Maggie Smith (Rev. Mother Superior), Kathy Najimy (Sister Mary Patrick), Wendy Makkena (Sister Mary Robert), Mary Wickes (Sister Mary Lazarus), Harvey Keitel (Vince LaRocca), Bill
Nunn (Lt. Eddie Southern)
A lounge singer on the run from her psychotic mobster
boyfriend is put in the witness protection program and takes refuge in a strict Catholic convent where she uses her talents to transform their singing choir.
A typical fish-out-of-water comedy with an energetic
leading performance from Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith nearly stealing the show without really trying. The only irritating performance for me was from Kathy Najimy.
It was the surprise box office success of 1992, becoming
the 4th biggest film of the year, spawning a (cash grab) sequel and a musical stage production.
6/10
SISTER ACT 2: BACK IN THE
HABIT (12)
D: Bill Duke
Touchstone (Scott Rudin & Dawn
Steel)
US 1993
106 mins
Comedy/Musical
W: James Orr, Jim Cruickshank & Judi Ann
Mason [based on characters created by Joseph Howard]
DP: Oliver Wood
Ed: John Carter, Pem Herring & Stuart
Pappé
Mus: Miles Goodman
Whoopi Goldberg (Deloris van Cartier / Sister Mary
Clarence), Maggie Smith (Reverend Mother), Kathy Najimy (Sister Mary Patrick), Barnard Hughes (Father Maurice), Mary Wickes (Sister Mary Lazarus), James Coburn (Mr. Crisp), Lauryn Hill
(Rita Louise Watson)
Cash-grab sequel with Whoopi Goldberg returning as the
singer-turned-nun hired to educate a group of underachieving school students with a reluctant attitude towards her interloping.
The very same formula from the first film is relocated
from convent to ghetto school in a smug, patronising and annoyingly stereotypical way.
It found success within its target audience of
(mostly) teenage girls, but everyone else will struggle to find any enjoyment in it. At the very least, it provided a platform for Lauryn Hill to showcase her talents before fronting
pop-r&b group The 'Fugees.
4/10
