Cast: Judy Davis, Jacki Weaver, Miriam Margolyes, Elijah Tamati Review by Carol Allen
Davis, Weaver and Margolyes play three ageing nuns whose convent home is about to be sold over their heads to a developer by their conniving bishop. Led by Davis they set off from their home in New Zealand’s North Island on a quest to South Island to reclaim the deeds to the property which prove they have a right to live there forever.
The small boy with them is Brian (Elijah Tamati), who is mourning the death of his mother and resenting his father’s new girlfriend Liz, played by the film’s director. His mother’s Maori culture is from the frozen south and he sort of hopes to find her there.
Tamati is very appealing, the three veteran actresses all seize what good moments they can find and the New Zealand landscape is as usual stunning. The problem with the film, which is based on a novel by one Joy Cowley, is that nothing really interesting happens. The film strains rather desperately for comedy – Sister Agnes (Davis) appears to be the slowest driver in the whole of New Zealand, Sister Luke (Margolyes) has dementia and problems controlling her false teeth – while combining that with a rather sugary sentimentality, though Davis as the brusque leader of the pack, who has a fondness of the odd ciggie and a glass of something alcoholic – shock, horror – a nun drinking and smoking! – tries to have no truck at all with such nonsense.
The most affecting aspect of the film is Tamati as Brian, who is totally without any child actor self consciousness, a beautiful child and really rather moving. And despite the somewhat feeble story, it’s still a pleasure to watch the three veteran actresses holding it all together and soldiering on regardless.
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