The Mary Magdalene Sisters

If I’ve ever been left completely stunned and questioning everything, it was last night after watching this movie. On a scale of 1 to 5, it’s a solid 10. It does a hauntingly good job of exposing the sheer ignorance of certain people and the suffering women endure through no fault of their own, all because of someone else's twisted judgment. For those who aren't aware, the plot follows girls being sent away to religious institutions—so-called laundries run by nuns—to "wash away" their sins. These "sins" included things like having a child out of wedlock, surviving an assault, or even just being accused of flirting too much. The torture inflicted by the sisters is harrowing, but the most heartbreaking part is that these women had nowhere else to turn. It makes perfect sense why the Catholic Church is fighting this film so hard; it presents a reality that completely contradicts the image of love and compassion they try to project. What’s truly sickening is that this is based on true events, leaving no room for excuses regarding the crimes committed. The last one of these facilities in the US was shut down back in the late 90s. Everyone knew what was happening behind those walls, yet neither the government nor the church did anything to stop the abuse.
I highly recommend giving this a watch—it didn't win a Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for nothing.

I’ve been reading nothing but glowing reviews. I'm heading to see it in the next few days, so I'll report back on how it goes. I have an incredibly good feeling about this one—expecting huge things.

Watched it yesterday and the movie is fantastic. The subject matter is shocking, but honestly, when I walked out of the theater, I felt good just having seen another film that calls out the Catholic Church. We need more movies like this...

I haven't actually sat down to watch the movie yet, though I've read enough reviews to know it’s supposed to be good. To be honest, I already know how I'm going to feel once I finally see it—absolutely livid, and probably even more fired up against the Church than I am now. It’s exactly the kind of film our dear little darling would love; I can't help but wonder where she is right now and what her take would be if she saw this... But then again, she'd probably find it perfectly acceptable. They're all cut from the same cloth, after all.😠

Took my old lady to the movies yesterday. She’s a religious fanatic, normally, but even she had to admit this one was incredible—even if it made her pretty uncomfortable to watch. I won't beat around the bush: the movie is phenomenal. Hands down the best thing I've seen all year. I knew it would be good, but this? This was next level. It proves you don't need flashy director gimmicks, messy editing, sweeping landscapes, or a massive orchestral score to make an impact. Everything is shot raw and stripped down. The acting is unbelievable. Because of that simplicity, it feels like everything is happening right there in front of your eyes. It’s incredibly real. Mullan’s raw direction perfectly captures all the pain, the suffering, the emotions, and the sheer frustration. The woman playing that mentally challenged character deserves a mountain of awards, not to mention the film itself. Kudos to Mullan for having the guts to take such a sharp aim at the Church. As an institution, I've always hated them, but after this film, I hate them even more. It honestly surprises me that despite the controversial subject matter, the awards, and all the press coverage, so few people on this forum have seen Magdalena Sisters.... Seriously, go see this brilliant film before the wave of stupid Hollywood historical epics hits. This is probably the best thing you'll get to see in theaters all year.

I’m actually getting ready to go watch it now. My only real issue is the timing—I’m usually passed out by 9:30 PM most nights—but since you all have hyped it up this much, I’m going for it! 👍
Last year, I caught this mini-series on TV about organized, systematic pedophilia in the USA, involving the abuse of boys—adolescents, 13 and up—by caregivers across various reform schools. Even now, those creepy scenes still stick with me: those sleazy "uncles" from social services, lawyers, intellectuals... and if I recall correctly, the credits mentioned that this was happening as recently as ten years ago. Apparently, the investigation is still dragging on, moving at a snail's pace, and—to put it bluntly—most of those predators hiding behind their judicial roles haven't even faced any real consequences yet.

I'm really hoping they don't pull it from theaters tomorrow, because I've got my heart set on catching it this weekend.

I have nothing but praise for this movie, though I do have a quick, slightly off-topic question. About two or three months ago, I saw a film on TV with a very similar theme—almost identical, actually. It starred the same actress who played Margaret in this one; you know, the one with those distinctively wavy ears. 🙂 Does anyone happen to remember the title of that film? The name escapes me... In that movie, her character had an out-of-wedlock baby, and while she was pregnant, she was placed in a convent alongside other women facing similar fates...

It's a documentary, but feels more like a cinematic masterpiece....
The editing is flawless.... 10/10... easily the best film in theaters this year.

I’m with Adam Thompson6 on this one. It is honestly such a relief to finally take a breather from that overhyped Hollywood machine and all those cookie-cutter, airbrushed faces... This movie is straight up 👍 👍 👍

I am eagerly anticipating their arrival in Seattle 😁

I AM SO EXCITED TO FINALLY SEE THIS MOVIE!!! I have such high expectations, and I just know it isn't going to disappoint one bit! I'm really hoping they get DIVX working again soon too...

🙂

church👎

I caught it today. There were maybe fifteen people in the theater, and by the time we walked out, it felt more like a funeral procession than an audience leaving a movie.😢
It actually hit me harder than I thought it would. I’m not going to recount the whole thing, though—you guys have already covered all the bases here.

It’s honestly depressing how few people bother to go see films like this—not just non-Hollywood stuff, but anything that doesn't follow the standard studio formula. It's a real shame.

Richard Thompson33 said:I’ve got some serious props for this movie, but I have a quick off-topic question for the group. About two or three months ago, I saw a film on TV with a very similar theme—almost identical, actually. It starred the same actress who plays Margaret in this one; you know, the one with the distinctive crooked ear. 🙂 Does anyone happen to remember the title? It’s totally slipped my mind... In that movie, she gives birth to a child out of wedlock, and while she's pregnant, they send her to a convent to stay with other women facing the exact same fate...

Anne Maria Duff, right?

Then the movie is either Sinners or maybe Magdalene Laundry.

steelstag4 said:It’s Anne Maria Duff, right?

So the movie title is Sinners (or maybe Magdalena Laundry)...

YES! Thank you! 🙂
I had such a hard time digging up anything about her or the film online just to make sure... but that was it. 🙂

Hold up, we're talking about this movie? I think I saw it on TV or something, maybe on PBS, if I remember right. It was actually a decent flick.

Did anyone else find this movie a bit lacking? Sure, it’s all incredibly tragic, and those awful sisters are absolute psychopaths while our girls are completely innocent victims. It was okay, I suppose, but it didn't hit the mark for me. Wouldn't a little more depth have helped? All we're left doing here is staring in shock at the horrors those terrible nuns inflict on those poor souls...

Sean Lee7 said:I caught a screening yesterday and honestly, the movie was incredible. While the subject matter is quite shocking, I actually walked out of the theater feeling a sense of relief because I had just witnessed another film that dares to critique the Catholic Church. Isn't it about time we saw more stories like this?

Haha, nice post.

By the way...

Mary Magdalene's sisters will be appearing on Canadian television this Wednesday at 8:00 PM.

Rodney said:Anyone else hate this movie? Yeah, sure—it's all super sad and tragic, those awful nuns are total psychos, and our girls are completely innocent! It was okay, I guess, but didn't hit the mark for me. Could've used some actual depth. Instead, we just sit here gawking at the horrors those creepy nuns inflict on poor souls...

I wasn't a fan either. Obviously, I'm not disputing how shocking the subject matter is—it's horrifying that stuff even happened (especially since the last "laundry" facility didn't close until '96!).

But if the goal is just to warn people that something terrible occurred, you could just make a documentary.

As a feature film, it felt boring, shallow, and totally one-sided. It’s like every single girl is a perfect little victim, while every nun is just a sadistic maniac counting cash and dreaming up new ways to torture sinners...