I love this movie so much

Highly Overrated But Still Good

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

This movie is not the creation of a creative screenwriter. The events actually happened to real girls sent to The Magdalene laundries in Ireland. The film is extremely well done. All of the actors and actresses were perfectly cast for their roles. The directing and cinematography were on point. I do not have a single complaint as a viewer from watching this film. There is some nudity in this movie. It is justified in the shower scene to show what psychological torture the teen girls went through at the hands of so-called nuns. A girl's pubic area is shown and breasts are shown too. This is not done in a pornographic way. These girls are shown to be victims of circumstance. I thought this scene was powerful because it showed how the naked women were helpless and innocent but the nuns in heavy clothes were cruel and devious. The best part of the movie is the escape scene. I would recommend this film.

I'm not going to act like a smarta** (like many of the other reviewers) attempting to rationalize the views and beliefs of the 19th century Irish and the influence of Catolicism on the society back then. Instead, I'm going to share my impressions of it, speaking as a casual observer: The first thing that comes to mind is... "What the f***!?" I mean, girls, can you imagine being sent to a place like The Magdalene Sisters for, erm, being pretty, flirting with guys, or being a single mother? No, really - WTF? It seems utterly ridiculous and inconceivable. What about your family disowning you and selling you into slavery if some bastard molested you? I guess if such twisted pseudo-religious extremism was in place today, 95% of today's' women would have to be confined to an asylum.I was quite bothered by the fact that Margaret's family chose to send her off to that awful place (after she was brutally raped by her cousin), instead of calling the rapist to justice and helping their daughter cope with the crime she fell victim to. I don't know what kind of religion condones rape, and, to add insult to injury, considers the *victim* a sinner. I can't imagine how brainwashed and f***ed up people back then must've been. A teenage girl is taken advantage of, yet SHE is the one being punished and getting disowned by her family, while the perpetrator (the rapist) just gets away with it and goes on as if nothing had happened. Where is the logic behind this, and what holy book preaches such "morals"? And Bernadette? She is confined to the asylum merely for the fact that she is moderately attractive and extroverted. This is just totally out of order, seriously.Speaking of Bernadette... she was, obviously, the highlight of the movie. I only wish she would've hit one of the despicable nuns as she and Rose (Patricia) were escaping.I also liked Anne-Marie Duff - the actress has a certain je ne sais quoi.The most tragic of all was certainly Crispina. It was clear from the start that she's not like the other girls - she's already broken beyond repair and her mental health issues are irreversible. It's no surprise that she perished at 24... and of anorexia! How sad indeed...The Magdalene Sisters asylum seemed like a devilish concentration camp rather than a religious organization. I don't think there was ever anything remotely "Godly" about an institution like that. Moreover, real-life survivors have reported that the conditions were actually much worse compared to those portrayed in the movie. Oh, the horror! It's an excellent movie, though. They couldn't have picked a better cast. I can't imagine anyone else playing Bernadette... well, anyone except for Sherilyn Fenn, who has exactly the same dark, sultry look. The other cast members were also chosen perfectly, and though none of them are mega-famous (in fact - most are relatively unknown), the performance surpasses that of well-known Hollywood stars by *miles*.Anyway, I was impressed with the movie, and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone interested in the subject matter.

I agree with the previous reviewer that said if you can't handle a "mind- blank" then don't watch this. All of the character stories hit on every "biggest fear" you could have. All of the stories are HEARTBREAKING. Having been brought up Catholic this is, by far and away, the most disturbing and heartbreaking film I have EVER seen. I literally cried all the way through it. I don't care how many shiny new Popes this church comes up with,this (and the other abuse of it's members/member's children) STILL HAPPENED. This is a very, very well made movie; however, it is NOT easy to watch and will stick with you a LONG time.

This is the kind of movie that is excellent in its portrayal of horror. I am not talking about aliens or monsters of the manufactured kind but the real person in an untenable situation.The best kind of horror is that created by the imagination. In this true story we follow 3 young women who are made to be slaves to a hypocritical system that persecutes them for being women.The film is a major criticism of the Catholic church and all its evil-doing. The film is also a paean to the strength of the human spirit and value of fighting oppression whatever form it takes.The film is shot in a rough way to emphasize the environment it is in. One can almost feel claustrophobic in watching it. We are dealing with ignorance and prejudice and superstition supported by a moralistic society supported by the church. One almost stops breathing in watching the film. That's how effective it is!