For the most part, this is a very enjoyable variation of the play that was already in 1955 movie, greatly altered for this 1989 film. Instead of a general store, escaped convicts Robert de Niro and Sean Penn are hiding out as priests in a border town Catholic diocese residence. They're mistaken for two priests who seem to have lost their way, and while the search is on for them as escaped convicts, they turn the diocese upside down and attract the attention of the town pariah, Demi Moore.
I was glad to see a major contribution in the performance of stage and TV veteran Elizabeth Lawrence as the tough older woman who gives them a ride into town after she hits a deer. She's always a treat to see, best known as Palmer Cortlandt's Mrs. Danvers like housekeeper Mrs. Murdoch on "All My Children", on a break from that role when she filmed this. There's also Wallace Shawn as the translator for a visiting cardinal, John C. Reilly as a monk and Bruno Kirby as the local deputy guarding the bridge for the convicts and fooled by Penn and DeNiro being identified as priests.
The film has a few moments where it seems to go off kilter for a little while, but always finds its way back. The performances by DeNiro and Penn are completely different than anything else I've seen them do before, with DeNiro doing some hysterically funny facial contortions and Penn a character with a big heart acting like an overgrown Bowery Boy. His sermon near the end is actually quite touching and does seem like something his character would orate. Director Neil Jordan and screenwriter David Mamet made some wise choices in updating this (still a period film) and keeping it light yet inspiring.
I was glad to see a major contribution in the performance of stage and TV veteran Elizabeth Lawrence as the tough older woman who gives them a ride into town after she hits a deer. She's always a treat to see, best known as Palmer Cortlandt's Mrs. Danvers like housekeeper Mrs. Murdoch on "All My Children", on a break from that role when she filmed this. There's also Wallace Shawn as the translator for a visiting cardinal, John C. Reilly as a monk and Bruno Kirby as the local deputy guarding the bridge for the convicts and fooled by Penn and DeNiro being identified as priests.
The film has a few moments where it seems to go off kilter for a little while, but always finds its way back. The performances by DeNiro and Penn are completely different than anything else I've seen them do before, with DeNiro doing some hysterically funny facial contortions and Penn a character with a big heart acting like an overgrown Bowery Boy. His sermon near the end is actually quite touching and does seem like something his character would orate. Director Neil Jordan and screenwriter David Mamet made some wise choices in updating this (still a period film) and keeping it light yet inspiring.