I saw this movie at the Venice Film Festival: it was totally unexpcted and a real shock for myself. The openin sequence - with the tragic presentation of the three leads - is the best way to start the movie. The atmosphere is intense and became stifling when the girls enter the Devil home: "The Magdalene" convent. The rest of the film is a horrible fall into a real hell on earth. The Magdalene Sisters are human incarnations of Devil and you will see that for the entire movie, from the first scene in the convent until the last.
Peter Mullan, who was in Venice to present the film, did a wonderful job and confirms himself as a great talent: he chose an impressive all-female cast (he also play a bit part as the father of one of the girls) who really support the film: the actress who play the monstrous sister Bridget (Geraldine McEwan) plays with such intensity the most-horrible character of the story. The three girls (plus the exceptional Eileen Walsh, who gave an heartbreaking performance as Crispina), are young, beautiful and really talented: Nora Jane Noone (Bernadette) make you hate/love her rebellius character; Anne-Marie Duff plays Margareth with all her heart and emotions; Dorothy Duffy uses her beauty and talent to gave life to her role, Rose (re-named Patricia by the sisters). I am a boy and I hated with all myself all the male characters in the film (with the sisters, of course). Most intense sequences: a terrible close-up of Nora Jane Noone bleeding eye with Sister Bridget"s face reflected on; the last scene of Crispina: my heart break-up in that moment. I felt terrible for the real-life Crispina and Eileen Walsh gave her best performance in this film. "The Magdalene Sisters" is a crude film, without emphasis and a real shock for everyone. A must-see.
Peter Mullan, who was in Venice to present the film, did a wonderful job and confirms himself as a great talent: he chose an impressive all-female cast (he also play a bit part as the father of one of the girls) who really support the film: the actress who play the monstrous sister Bridget (Geraldine McEwan) plays with such intensity the most-horrible character of the story. The three girls (plus the exceptional Eileen Walsh, who gave an heartbreaking performance as Crispina), are young, beautiful and really talented: Nora Jane Noone (Bernadette) make you hate/love her rebellius character; Anne-Marie Duff plays Margareth with all her heart and emotions; Dorothy Duffy uses her beauty and talent to gave life to her role, Rose (re-named Patricia by the sisters). I am a boy and I hated with all myself all the male characters in the film (with the sisters, of course). Most intense sequences: a terrible close-up of Nora Jane Noone bleeding eye with Sister Bridget"s face reflected on; the last scene of Crispina: my heart break-up in that moment. I felt terrible for the real-life Crispina and Eileen Walsh gave her best performance in this film. "The Magdalene Sisters" is a crude film, without emphasis and a real shock for everyone. A must-see.