how Pope John XXIII's Vatican II reforms severely affected the Catholic Church in both good and bad ways.Many viewers will see this as an anti-Catholic film especially people are not old enough to experience what Traditional Catholicism is all about during the 50's and the 60's when mass was said in Latin and the priest saying mass turned back to the crowd; the contributions that nuns brought to the American educational system; and how nuns truly tried to become perfect like Jesus Christ as well as how they punished themselves whenever they commit sins against God. Added to that, we also see Cathleen's transformation in life from being a little child to her journey on living the monastic life from being a postulant, a novitiate, and finally a nun. It also tells us what monastic life was all about pre-Vatican II and how the reforms somehow made the Catholic Church deteriorate as followers of Christ. No wonder that there are more than 14,000+ Protestant denominations today unlike in the past when there were probably only 1,000+. It also showed us how the reforms brought the worst on Cathleen as she struggles with these Vatican II reforms in more ways than one from her faith,the monastic life that she is accustomed too, and even in terms of her sexual desires as well as her identity as a nun as well as a Catholic.Aside from that,we are also brought to the issues of feminism especially when the Vatican II reforms were instituted as the nuns were not given any voice at all nor were asked of their opinion which was greatly characterized by the complex Reverend Mother,portrayed extremely well by Melissa Leo. At the end of the movie,we witnessed on how these reforms led to the mass exodus of 90,000 nuns from the convent. No wonder there is a shortage of both nuns and priests in the Catholic Church particularly in the United States at present. While the new Catholic Church has become open to the modern world, they definitely were hurt by these reforms as the changes brought less shepherds of Christ that led to the deterioration of Catholicism especially with less people becoming either priests or nuns.

Vatican II coming into the picture and how the nuns in the convent are becoming uncomfortable which is greatly seen in the character of Reverend Mother.No question that Cathleen's monastic life gets severely affected as we get to witness how she is adapting to the changes.The same is true with Reverend Mother together with the nuns inside the convent. It was obvious that while the Catholic Church is opening itself into the modern world,we also get to see how it is getting affected with it.The mass exodus of the nuns is one of them.Added to that,we also get to see its effects to Cathleen's monastic,spiritual, and surprisingly sexual life.Overall,the movie presents to the viewer more about the Catholic Church's transformation from Traditional Catholicism into Modernism particularly with the changes being implemented as well as the positive and negative effects from it.

spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.Couple of comments: this is the feature length debut of writer-director Maggie Betts, And what a debut it is! Betts takes a close look at what the road is like towards becoming a nun, with a 6 months postulate and then the 18 months novitiate. These are all young women with an idealistic view of the Catholic church. In a parallel story, Betts also examines the consequences of the Vatican II reforms. The Reverend Mother who runs the convent is entirely opposed to any ref0rms. "Isn't the church just perfect as it is?", she retorts when a younger nun questions her. As one might expect, the pace of the movie is quite slow and deliberate, so this isn't for anyone in a hurry. At times it almost feels like a documentary. I was bowled over by it all, to be honest, and felt deeply invested into these characters. There are a number of scenes in the movie that will break your heart the disbelief of Kathleen's mother upon learning what Kathleen intends to do with her life; the "chapel of faults"--I shan't say more... . As it plays out, one can't help but be reminded of "The Nun's Story" starring Audrey Hepburn when asked why she decided to become a nun, one of the young ladies refers to that movie . The movie is helped enormously by several towering performances: Melissa Leo as the Reverend Mother is outstanding, but even better is Margaret Qualley as Kathleen in one of her first movie roles--she is best known for her recurring role in HBO's The Leftovers . Qualley reminded me physically immediately of a younger Kirsten Stewart. The range of emotions that Qualley is able to convey on the big screen makes it very clear to me that this is a major up-and-coming talent, the last of which we surely haven't seen. Same can be said of writer-director Maggie Betts. If it sounds like I am gushing about this movie, you bet I am. This movie is for me one of the best I have seen this year."Novitiate" premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival to immediate critical acclaim. No idea why it's taken so long to reach my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, but better late than never. The Saturday evening screening where I saw this at was attended very nicely. You could hear a pin drop, as the theater was enraptured by this film. If you are in the mood for a probing psychological drama that poses some serious questions about religion and faith and features several stunning acting performances, you cannot go wrong with this, be it in the theater, on VOD or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray. "Novitiate" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

it difficult for them to bond with each other. She demands total and absolute obedience from all the women--postulants, novitiates, and nuns.Then, Vatican II ends, and the Catholic church wants to modernize and change. Whether this is good news or bad news for the nuns is an open question in the context of this movie. You'll have to see the movie to learn what happens to Sister Cathleen and the other novitiates. We saw this film at Rochester's excellent Little Theatre, but it will work on the small screen. As I write this review, the movie has a anemic 6.7 IMDb rating. I think it's better than that.

was introduced to Catholicism by her agnostic mother Nicholson , for educational purposes. Cathleen feels drawn to the religion, at the great disappointment of her mother, and at the age of 17 she decides to join a convent as a postulate. She's trained by the extremist Reverend Mother Marie St. Clair Leo . Reverend Mother tortures the young women she trains, in an obsessive outdated belief that it will bring them closer to God, and she rejects modern reforms ordered by the Second Vatican Council. Her methods really put Cathleen, and her faith, to the ultimate test, while Cathleen also must struggle with natural temptations of desire.The film is a lot like a female Catholicism version of 'WHIPLASH' to me, that's what the relationship between Cathleen and Reverend Mother feels like. It's very intense, hard to watch, and at times pretty emotional. Leo is also fantastic in the role, and I definitely wouldn't be surprised to see her get an Oscar nomination for it. The film is also a great examination of what faith and commitment to faith meant for these women at that time. It's definitely an interesting, and emotionally involving, movie to watch.

does not scare to many away from trying a nuns life,cause we have all benefited the chores and efforts given to us,especially through health care services ,kindergardens and caretaking for the people living in the shadows.i still wonder what happened to the main character...........

to church. Her marriage is falling apart and her abusive husband leaves. Later, religious sisters visit their home and offer Cathleen a scholarship to attend a newly-opened Catholic school, where she feels the presence of God. At 17, Cathleen Margaret Qualley believes she has been called to become a nun and enters a convent as a postulant, over her mother's objections.At the Order of the Sisters of Blessed Rose, Cathleen befriends her fellow postulants, Sissy Maddie Hasson , Emily Liana Liberato , Evelyn Morgan Saylor , and others, and meets Reverend Mother Melissa Leo , a stern headmistress. As the girls progress towards becoming novitiates, Reverend Mother becomes alarmed with the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. She believes the changes will destroy their way of life, and tries to resist them despite warnings from Archbishop McCarthy Denis O'Hare .Things get complicated when Cathleen feels an awakening sexuality, to which she responds by starving herself. This drives her into the arms of a newcomer, Sister Emanuel Rebecca Dayan . Also starved for physical affection, the two share a forbidden moment of tenderness. Meanwhile, Reverend Mother grows despondent as she is powerless to stop Vatican II from liberalizing their religious order, undermining her authority and resulting in a mass exodus of nuns.Writer/director Margaret Betts, who is not Catholic, betrays her lack of familiarity with Catholicism when it comes to a few details most audiences probably won't notice. Betts grew up in privilege as the daughter of a wealthy developer who was also close friends with former President George W. Bush. She described her early years as unfocused and self-absorbed, until Laura Bush advised her to spend more time volunteering. As a wealthy socialite, I can see how she would take a dim view of the self-sacrifice and self-denial nuns are called to embrace. However, Novitiate is tender and at times unexpectedly sympathetic.Melissa Leo was nominated for several awards for her portrayal of Reverend Mother. Although she's generally considered a Nurse Ratched-like character, I ended up feeling sympathy for her. As head of the convent, she commands unquestioning obedience from the other nuns, yet she's powerless to stop the reforms because the Church commands unquestioning obedience over her. The scene in which she reads a letter outlining changes from the diocese like a death sentence is heart-wrenching. Mike D'Angelo at AVClub was right when he argued Reverend Mother should have been the protagonist of this film.Margaret Qualley, a model and trained ballet dancer, also appeared in one of the best films of 2016: The Nice Guys. She plays a completely different role in Novitiate. There are plenty of actors and actresses Kristen Stewart comes to mind , who are basically the same person in every film. You know what you're getting when you see their name on the marquee. I'm most impressed when I see an actor or actress and don't even recognize them because they disappear so completely into their role. Margaret Qualley is such an actress. I'm looking forward to seeing what she does in the future.Novitiate isn't without problems. Sister Cathleen Harris wasn't born Catholic and we never see her baptized or confirmed. It's briefly brought up when she initially enters the convent as a postulant but then never mentioned again. It's not possible to become a Catholic nun without being a member of the Catholic Church, but even if they made an exception, shouldn't her lack of religious background play some role in her experience at the convent? Wouldn't the others doubt her sincerity, or treat her as an outsider? That would set up personal conflicts that add drama to the film. Instead, it's just a glaring plot hole.Overall, Novitiate is an emotional roller coaster and a solid film if you don't know much about Catholicism. Accurate and non-stereotypical portrayals of Catholics and Catholicism are almost unheard of in American film, so Novitiate is notable for its tender and sympathetic portrayal. It's more about the girls' relationship with God and each other, and the limits of pursuing an ideal, than anything else.

the Reverend Mother Melissa Leo , a woman dedicated to traditions that may no longer be Vatican-approved. She rules with absolute authority over her novices and seems to relish the harsher aspects of the lifestyle.The camera focuses on Sister Cathleen Margaret Qualley, daughter of Andie MacDowell. You may also see her in "Fosse/Verdon". Her role may remind some of Audrey Hepburn's role in "The Nun's Story", but "Novitiate" has a harder edge, mostly due to the Reverend Mother.The acting is strong and believable. Even if you have no particular interest in Catholic doctrine, it is easy to identify with the young women who choose to undergo such radical changes in their lives. The illusion that they forgo ownership of free will, is just that---an illusion. But at some point, willful subservience to authority comes very close to a loss of free will. And this creates a struggle for some of the novitiates. This is central to the drama of the film. Likewise, it asks us to consider the mental health aspects of the willful sacrifice of one's ego and freedom.