Sentiment and Wisdom

Kathleen Norris on SENTIMENT WITH WISDOM

I recently watched two films that many, with some justification, might deem too sentimental. But I believe that they present the viewer with surprises and challenges in the emotions they evoke. The Miracle Club (above) is an Irish film recommended by a friend, a Benedictine monk who often accompanies groups of pilgrims to Lourdes. He says the film captures what happens there: people come with prayers for a specific need and leave having an altogether different prayer answered in a way they didn’t expect. It’s a joy to see a young Irish actress, Agnes O’Casey, holding her own with veterans Kathy Bates, Laura Linney, Stephen Rea, and Maggie Smith. This film reveals what happens when people harbor secrets and resentments for years; they lose the ability to speak freely, and even to know what they truly desire.