Novitiate (2017)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

In the 1960s the young and naive Cathleen (Margaret Qualley) joins the Catholic Church with the intention of becoming a nun. As she prepares to join the Novitiate she finds that her expectations have not been met as she attempts to navigate the church and her own sexuality. 

I have to preface this by saying that I was raised in the Catholic Church, and I typically find that films meant to depict the flaws that lie within the walls of that institution are not at all representative of my personal experiences. To some degree this hinders my ability to connect with the content in films such as Novitiate and Spotlight—at least in terms of understanding the accusations that come out of the church in those films. What movies like this are able to do, however, is bridge the gap between those who align themselves with the Catholic Church and those that possess some level of disdain or dislike of it. Novitiate extends itself far beyond a film solely focused on the Catholic Church and into territory that makes it incredibly human. That is what allows films like this to thrive, not by ostracizing a religious group, but by appealing to the humanity in all of us. 

Furthermore, Novitiate does an outstanding job of including a variety of personalities within the narrative. That allows for a series of unique perspectives and for no stone to be left unturned. This aspect of the film is the most inviting, allowing viewers from all walks of life, and everyone short of the, quote-unquote, Bible-thumpers to appreciate the sentiment present within. 

Novitiate is both fluid and fractured in its storytelling. With so many personalities, so many characters to fit into this narrative—it can be difficult to ensure that everyone is provided the right amount of love and care. With that, Writer-Director Maggie Betts creates a unique spectacle that allows everyone an opportunity to shine while still remaining cohesive enough to follow with a general ease. Some lengthier scenes are used to develop some of the tertiary characters, then sudden jump cuts transport viewers to new scenes with similar tones and themes as the scene(s) that came before. Novitiate is a type of cohesion that I’m not sure that I’ve seen before. 

Betts pairs dialogue with physical representation, but often those things don’t exist on screen at the same time. She and her team, particularly Editor Susan E. Morse (and her cohort) do a spectacular job of piecing this story together in a way that presents viewers first with dialogue and then a non-verbal physical manifestation at a later juncture. This sort of fractured cohesion provides constant reminders of the topics at hand, while still progressing through the story. 

As previously mentioned, there can sometimes be a disconnect between my own experiences with the Catholic Church and what is often depicted on screen. For more than half of Novitiate I found myself frustrated (yet equally enamored) by Reverend Mother (Melissa Leo). Infuriating is Mother, as she is the one perpetuating the cycle of violence and rejection. Yet, as the film prepares to conclude, the underlying issue of the somewhat mysterious Vatican II finally breaks the character, and suddenly her formerly unscrupulous behavior is almost forgivable. Part of that stems from the script and the way in which Betts asks the character to be depicted, and part of that comes from Leo’s almost infantile demeanor when she presents the climactic and revolutionary reveal toward the film’s conclusion. This aspect of the film, the way in which Betts and Leo work together to create a character steeped in metaphor and symbolism, is what helped develop a connection between viewers like myself and this likely divisive film in Novitiate. 

The glamour that can sometimes attach itself to films related to religion can often cause that film to become unironically preachy. Novitiate avoids this at all costs, creating something that is grounded and honest, but still reaches far enough to often appear larger than life. Betts’ style of filmmaking is unique and blends a series of other styles together to create something that I’d almost consider groundbreaking. Novitiate remains linear, while still taking the liberties to jump between characters in order to, again, create a film that is expansive. A meaningful venture into the Catholic Church, Novitiate is a film that has the potential to awe anyone willing to watch. 

Written & Directed by Maggie Betts. 

Starring Margaret Qualley, Melissa Leo, Julianne Nicholson, Lisa Stewart, Liana Liberato, Morgan Saylor, etc. 

7.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING