Movie 3 of 1985 and 123 overall in my journey through films of my lifetime.
Opening act is a compelling and interesting mystery. Agnes's lack of memory is plausible and is before the 90's obsession with movies based on identity and memory. In that was "Agnes of God" is ahead of its time.
Interesting parallel where Agnes can't remember having a child. Meanwhile the main character, played by Jane Fonda, visits her mother who has Alzheimer's disease and can't remember her, her own daughter. Excellent acting, I really felt the pain of the scene. The parallel between Agnes and Fonda's character, Dr. Livingston, gives them an interesting emotive connection.
Agnes experienced a stigmata, and, perhaps, an immaculate conception? Good job teetering between natural and supernatural but the assumption was definitely natural. "Agnes of God" is driven by an assumed natural explanation of its events. However, as the plot unfolds the supernatural becomes a more compelling answer. This is a good example of great pacing. They don't just tell you from the beginning that the answer could be supernatural/spiritual, they let you figure it out and let it unfold more and more throughout the story.
Some of the emotional lows and highs are just too difficult for the actors to get to. It would be easy for someone to confuse the lack of persuasive acting with melodrama. That's not the case with many of the scenes that are notably lower energy than they should be. They are not bad actors but they just don't seem to be able to relate to what is happening to the characters. Probably the director's fault and I hate saying that because I think the guy is a great director.
Later in the film they appeal to hypnotizm to bring about Agnes's memories. This may have been a missed opportunity to show some POV elements of the nights in question. I'm guessing the budget prohibited this.
Doesn't really ask good questions in terms of conflict between religion and secularism although it tried.
Open ended ending which I loved!
There is some very important personal revelations about Agnes's motives at the end and it needed to pay off and it did. There is much to think about when it comes to her motives.
Almost an all female cast and yet never once preached about it or made political statements.
One final comment about the ending: Agnes comes off as almost too innocent. This was intentional so that you can feel the moment at the end where you learn a lot about Agnes's inner life. Very well played.
Pros Great mystery Convent is a good creepy atmosphere Agnes is a complex character The relationships of all the characters are intertwined in a compelling way
Cons Actors couldn't always reach the needed hieights Music was dated A brief narration about some dangling mysteries was a sin IMO.
Opening act is a compelling and interesting mystery. Agnes's lack of memory is plausible and is before the 90's obsession with movies based on identity and memory. In that was "Agnes of God" is ahead of its time.
Interesting parallel where Agnes can't remember having a child. Meanwhile the main character, played by Jane Fonda, visits her mother who has Alzheimer's disease and can't remember her, her own daughter. Excellent acting, I really felt the pain of the scene. The parallel between Agnes and Fonda's character, Dr. Livingston, gives them an interesting emotive connection.
Agnes experienced a stigmata, and, perhaps, an immaculate conception? Good job teetering between natural and supernatural but the assumption was definitely natural. "Agnes of God" is driven by an assumed natural explanation of its events. However, as the plot unfolds the supernatural becomes a more compelling answer. This is a good example of great pacing. They don't just tell you from the beginning that the answer could be supernatural/spiritual, they let you figure it out and let it unfold more and more throughout the story.
Some of the emotional lows and highs are just too difficult for the actors to get to. It would be easy for someone to confuse the lack of persuasive acting with melodrama. That's not the case with many of the scenes that are notably lower energy than they should be. They are not bad actors but they just don't seem to be able to relate to what is happening to the characters. Probably the director's fault and I hate saying that because I think the guy is a great director.
Later in the film they appeal to hypnotizm to bring about Agnes's memories. This may have been a missed opportunity to show some POV elements of the nights in question. I'm guessing the budget prohibited this.
Doesn't really ask good questions in terms of conflict between religion and secularism although it tried.
Open ended ending which I loved!
There is some very important personal revelations about Agnes's motives at the end and it needed to pay off and it did. There is much to think about when it comes to her motives.
Almost an all female cast and yet never once preached about it or made political statements.
One final comment about the ending: Agnes comes off as almost too innocent. This was intentional so that you can feel the moment at the end where you learn a lot about Agnes's inner life. Very well played.
Pros Great mystery Convent is a good creepy atmosphere Agnes is a complex character The relationships of all the characters are intertwined in a compelling way
Cons Actors couldn't always reach the needed hieights Music was dated A brief narration about some dangling mysteries was a sin IMO.