Review of The Magdalene Sisters (2002) by Sean O — 11 Feb 2008

Well acted but lacking some directoral creativity to bring out the sense of captivity and untouchable evil in these ghastly places. A contemporary BBC drama on the same theme called 'Sinners' was just as powerful.

An important film for a changing country to have made; Ireland was under the grip of the RC Church for years because it was part of nationalist identity and the first President De Valera had an ideal of an Irish bucolic paradise. Divorce was only legalised last decade and abortion is still forbidden there. I did cry watching this film, knowing what harm organised religion can do to people, especially when it enters government, and that this was a true story. Approx 30,000 Irish women were interned in these self-righteous Christian prisons...