Novitiate

Name: Novitiate
Genre: Drama
Released: October 27, 2017
Duration: 123 min
Rating: 73
Cast: Chris Zylka, Denis O'Hare, Dianna Agron, Eline Powell, Julianne Nicholson

2017

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Generally favorable reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Ratings

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: October 27, 2017 | R

Starring: Chris Zylka, Denis O'Hare, Dianna Agron, Eline Powell, Julianne Nicholson, Liana Liberato, Maddie Hasson, Margaret Qualley, Melissa Leo, Morgan Saylor

Summary: Spanning over a decade from the early 1950s through to the mid-60s, Novitiate is about a young girl's first initiation with love, in this case with God. Raised by a non-religious, single mother in rural Tennessee, a scholarship to Catholic school soon finds Cathleen drawn into the mystery and romanticism of a life devoted to the worship andSpanning over a decade from the early 1950s through to the mid-60s, Novitiate is about a young girl's first initiation with love, in this case with God. Raised by a non-religious, single mother in rural Tennessee, a scholarship to Catholic school soon finds Cathleen drawn into the mystery and romanticism of a life devoted to the worship and servitude of God. With the dawn of the Vatican II era, radical changes in the Church are threatening the course of nuns’ lives. As she progresses from the postulant to the novitiate stage of training, she finds her faith repeatedly confronted and challenged by the harsh, often inhumane realities of being a servant of God. Cathleen finds herself struggling with issues of faith, sexuality, and recent changes in life of the Church. [Sony Pictures Classics]… Expand

Director: Margaret Betts

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 123 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Mick LaSalle

Nov 10, 2017

The complexity, richness and fullness of what Leo does here is acting at its most illuminating and useful. Read full review

Calvin Wilson

Nov 16, 2017

An intense, provocative drama about religion and its impact on those who embrace it as essential to their lives. Read full review

Leslie Felperin

Oct 26, 2017

This arresting work, starring Margaret Qualley, Julianne Nicholson and Melissa Leo as well as a celestial choir of up-and-coming young female actors, mesmerizes as it probes a uniquely female-dominated milieu where passions — both religious, sexual and a combination of the two — run hot under those starched, lily-white coifs and black habits. Read full review

Sara Stewart

Oct 25, 2017

Holy moly, Melissa Leo makes a scary Mother Superior. Read full review

A.O. Scott

Oct 26, 2017

Ms. Betts refrains from easy, uplifting answers and facile condemnations of organized religion. Aided by Kat Westergaard’s warm, restrained cinematography, she takes the viewer close to an understanding of Cathleen’s evolving sense of her relationship with God. Read full review

Mike D'Angelo

Oct 25, 2017

Betts appears to have started out with a rather mundane idea and then stumbled, over the course of her research, onto something much more fruitful. The result is as intriguing and frustrating as that suggests. Read full review

Bilge Ebiri

Oct 24, 2017

There’s a lot of great filmmaking in Novitiate, but there’s also quite a bit still missing. Read full review

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User Reviews

Fedorko

Nov 13, 2017

The probing of moral fluidity, coupled with strong performances, led by the indefatigable Melissa Leo, makes Novitiate a timely film about spirituality, love and sacrifice. Indeed, the movie crackles most when we see the cloisters struggle to live their version of a virtuous life, in theThe probing of moral fluidity, coupled with strong performances, led by the indefatigable Melissa Leo, makes Novitiate a timely film about spirituality, love and sacrifice. Indeed, the movie crackles most when we see the cloisters struggle to live their version of a virtuous life, in the face of not only daily temptations but institutional shifts, which ultimately tells them they are viewed the same in the eyes of God as those who sacrifice minimally. Leo's focused performance is masterful. The question of how important physical affection is in loving one another is well navigated as well. Highly recommended.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

GreatMartin

Nov 27, 2017

“Novitiate” takes place in the early 1960s when what was referred to as Vatican II began to make changes in the Catholic Church and those changes would be powerful and extreme, as the closing credits show.

We follow a young girl named Cathleen as she becomes a postulant for 6 months and“Novitiate” takes place in the early 1960s when what was referred to as Vatican II began to make changes in the Catholic Church and those changes would be powerful and extreme, as the closing credits show.

We follow a young girl named Cathleen as she becomes a postulant for 6 months and then a year and a half in the quarters with the other novices and it makes Marine Corps’ boot camp look like child’s play! Cathleen enters the order after one day feeling the presence of God and we watch her process to becoming a full fledged nun.

We meet other postulants who are there for various reasons, some succeeding, others leaving before the decision has to be made and others are basically thrown out.

All are under the charge of the Reverend Mother who makes it clear that she speaks for God. She has been a nun for 40 years and is having problems with the new rules coming from Rome that she feels demeans her religion, nuns and her.

There is a lot in this film that I feel most people, especially males, don’t know what a female went through to become a nun and I don’t know how much has changed but I left the film in awe of these women. I am not saying much else but this is a mesmerizing movie with very few clichés.

Melissa Leo, as the Reverend Mother is a stern disciplinarian who believes in her relationship with Christ and wants her novices to feel the love she feels and her inner fight with the Vatican II new rules is tearing her apart.

Cathleen is played as a child by Eliza Mason, as a 12 year old by Sasha Mason and at 17 by Margaret Qualley all giving fine performances, especially the latter. Her mother played by Julianne Nicholson is spot on while other postulants and nuns are played by Maddie Hasson, Rebecca Dayan, Ashley Bell, Morgan Saylor, Liana Liberato, Dianna Agron and Cathleen’s father in a short role by Chris Zylka are all natural in their roles.

I have always had the Hollywood versions of nuns and knew most weren’t like Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Jennifer Jones but more like the mean Sisters walking around with rulers to slap knuckles and having seen what nuns go through to become a nun I am surprised more aren’t like the latter!

“Novitiate” is an excellent film that holds your interest and should be seen.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

StevieGJD

Nov 25, 2017

This is a thought provoking and well made film. Melissa Leo gives an amazing performance, one that I suspect will be Oscar nominated. There are some unnecessary scenes and an unfortunately predictable story arc that creates part of the film's dramatic tension. But the main points of thisThis is a thought provoking and well made film. Melissa Leo gives an amazing performance, one that I suspect will be Oscar nominated. There are some unnecessary scenes and an unfortunately predictable story arc that creates part of the film's dramatic tension. But the main points of this film, the intensity of old school nun training and the effect that Vatican 2 had on Catholic nuns, are very well told, very well acted and quite poignant.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TVJerry

Nov 26, 2017

This unique film takes place during the '60s, when Vatican II was changing the style of the Catholic Church. One young woman (Margaret Qualley) takes the ultimate step: becoming a nun. The film follows her as she progresses thru the stages of training, all the while questioning her faith andThis unique film takes place during the '60s, when Vatican II was changing the style of the Catholic Church. One young woman (Margaret Qualley) takes the ultimate step: becoming a nun. The film follows her as she progresses thru the stages of training, all the while questioning her faith and the harsh treatment of some of the women, especially by the Mother Superior (a complex and evil Melissa Leo). This film provides a fascinating look inside a nunnery, but what makes it so potent is the intense scrutiny that's placed on so many characters and the uniformly magnificent jobs the actors do. While the narrative unfolds slowly, it's never dull. Thanks to a intriguing story and excellent performances, this is a compelling look inside a convent and a group of characters.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

section20mi6

Apr 15, 2018

Certainly one of the most interesting approaches to tackle the subject of Christianity, Novitiate does not seek to give out answers or judge religion as a whole, but presents the power struggle and human emotions that mirror the contemporary world. While cast performance is astounding inCertainly one of the most interesting approaches to tackle the subject of Christianity, Novitiate does not seek to give out answers or judge religion as a whole, but presents the power struggle and human emotions that mirror the contemporary world. While cast performance is astounding in every way, Morgan Saylor(Homeland) particularly stands out among all.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

JLuis_001

Jul 10, 2018

Definitely a film to talk about after seeing it for questioning the two sides of the coin between faith and ideology, although it's tilted to one side more than the other and yet maintains to the end what I consider to be the best thematic of the film, which is that many religious people,Definitely a film to talk about after seeing it for questioning the two sides of the coin between faith and ideology, although it's tilted to one side more than the other and yet maintains to the end what I consider to be the best thematic of the film, which is that many religious people, who profess their faith in ways that are too devout, still have a long way to go to fully accept the modern world. It's evident that it was difficult in the time where this story is developed, it's well known that even in our century and decade, religion is still a burden on society when they don't want the rest to advance.

The interesting thing is that despite being in a certain way a global theme, the film knows how to keep things rooted in their characters and their internal conflicts and in the situations that surround them and are facing.

Much more solid than I expected and obviously is a recommended film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

moviemitch96

Nov 25, 2017

Honestly, I felt this to be a very slow-moving and pedestrian film about the Vatican during the 60s. The only really impressive thing it had going for it was Melissa Leo's fierce performance. Other than that, this film isn't really worth the time in my opinion.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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