Sister Act

It's a little raunchier than I remembered, mostly with light swearing, but still just as much fun to watch and my 8yo loved it. There is implied violence, not seen.

Where would you go if you had to hide from the mob? Lounge singer and '60s girl group aficionado Delores van Cartier finds herself at St. Catherine's, a somewhat rundown, quite cloistered convent. Now, with a proper nun moniker (Sister Mary Clarence) and full attire, habit and all, she's suffocating. That is, until Reverend Mother orders her to join the choir, which rocks the convent off its feet. On the positive side, Deloris does a lot of growing in this flick. She begins as a flighty, morally questionable, self-absorbed woman. Convent life does repress her personality somewhat, which isn't good. But within the convent, Deloris discovers the value of real, reciprocal relationships, reflection, and sacrifice. She becomes particularly close to Sister Lazarus, Sister Patrick, and Sister Robert, all of whom aid in her journey and help persuade Reverend Mother to come to her rescue when needed. For her part, Reverend Mother is another good character study. She begins as a legalistic nun who cares about her sisters so much that she smothers them, never allowing them beyond the convent's walls. When Deloris revolutionizes St. Catherine's, Reverend Mother also becomes bitter, calling herself a "relic" and threatening to leave. However, a tense climax shows both women that there is good in each other, and that both their personalities are respected and needed. Several things make Sister Act inappropriate for kids. Deloris' boyfriend is a murderous mobster who tries to kill her as well as the other nuns. Deloris has quite a profane mouth at first and makes disparaging remarks about Catholicism, as well as flippant remarks about Jesus and Satan. Some families may feel that Reverend Mother's character makes the church look stiff and condemning. For the right audiences, though, this can be an entertaining and thought-provoking flick. For example, families might want to speculate on what might've happened if, as the mobsters suggest, Deloris joined the convent for real. Would she have become a better person or not fit in? Why? The rollicking music is a great added bonus.