Sister Act
Deloris Van Cartier (Whoopi Goldberg) is a lounge singer at a successful Reno casino, and is also the mistress of its manager, Vince LaRocca (a lazy Harvey Keitel), a drugs baron. Feeling unloved, she finally decides to quit her job at the casino and split up with Vince when he gives her his wife's old fur coat as a present. But then Deloris accidentally walks in on Vince dispatching one of his snitch employees, and literally has to make a run for her life. Taking refuge with the police, she discovers that she is required to testify in court when Vince is charged for his dirty deeds. But until then, the police arrange for her to hide out at a nunnery in Chicago, overseen by the Mother Superior (Maggie Smith). As Deloris reluctantly adapts to her new lifestyle as Sister Mary Clarence, she strikes up friendships with the unsuspecting nuns at the monastery, and even finds a way to put her singing skills to good use. But wherever she goes, Vince is never far behind
The above plot synopsis is likely to imply to the unknowing that 'Sister Act' is a "woman in jeopardy" thriller, when actually it's the complete opposite. The creators of the film seem to have designed a worthy fish-out-of-water comedy, and then simply used the bookends of the film as window dressing. It's all the story you need, though, when you have Whoopi Goldberg in the lead.
I've always had a preferment to Goldberg's shockingly underused skills as a dramatic actress, but her funny act can make virtually any film enjoyable. This is one of them. However, this being a family film, the climax is slightly underwhelming, and seems to be trying to be funny that actually letting off tension. But 'Sister Act' is a decent comedy regardless.
~ 7/10 ~
