914. Sister Act (1992)

Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy

Director: Emile Ardolino

Running Time: 100 mins

Sister Act is an American film about a flamboyant singer who, after witnessing a murder, is sent to a convent for protection, where she meets a group of nuns and forms a world-famous choir with them.

Surprisingly, for a bit of a cheesy, occasionally preachy, musical comedy, this was a lot of fun! The songs were top-notch, there were quite a few laughs throughout, the story is as preposterous as anything but still entertaining to follow, and Whoopi Goldberg puts in a great show right in the middle.

The main thing about this whole film is the music, and in comparison to many musical comedies, where the songs don’t really add anything to the story and are just simply boring to sit through, this was film was a joy to listen to. Whether it’s the good songs in the background during the odd montage, or the belters that the choir sing as they get even better and better, the music is delightful and uplifting, ending the whole film on a real happy and high note.

As well as that, the comedy here is pretty good too. It’s not riotously funny, but you’re already having enough fun with the music that there’s not too much need for laugh-a-minute gags. Of course, a little more comedy would have been better, as some parts are a little dry, but there’s still some very funny sarcastic humour throughout, mainly from Goldberg’s character, that will still make this a funny film to watch.

Whoopi Goldberg was actually a real stand-out in this film for me. The supporting characters are all fine, Maggie Smith and Harvey Keitel putting in generic but still entertaining performances, however Goldberg is not only a lot of fun, but refrains from ever becoming annoying during her phase of trying to fit in, making it much easier to support her, and then when she does begin to feel at home, she makes it seem all the more believable and less cheesy.

Of course, the story on the whole is ridiculously cheesy. Whether it’s the crime story that starts it all off or the one about the emergence of the choir, it’s all completely preposterous and, at time, a little dull, however the feel-good atmosphere of the whole film makes that almost irrelevant, and that’s why this gets a 7.3 from me.