The original Sisterhood Wasn't one of my favorite movies, but I thought there would be a sequel to follow in its footsteps. The strange thing about Sister 2: Back to Habit is that it abandons the love of the first film and replaces it with a formula as old as a hill. It's another dreary story about a group of unbelieving kids and how an inspiring teacher guides them to the state finals, where they subvert the snobs of wealthy schools.
I've seen this formula apply to singing, dancing, basketball, soccer, bike racing, bobsleigh teams and every martial art. I've even seen it applied to trigonometric functions (in "lambada"). "Check it out. The Nuns 2 is working on the same film. We even got a dramatic late shot towards the end. You know this picture. Gifted children have a mother who forbids her to perform. The child continued. When she was in the spotlight for her big number, the door opened behind the auditorium, who walked in? Of course, mothers inevitably make themselves gentle, smiling, and proud of their children in later shots. Some people may get lucrative copyrights on clichés like this.
Movie stars are here again. The last time she mixed with the gang boss, she was still a jerk. This time she was the headline of Vegas. The opening credits show her performance, which is basically fast-forwarded by motown golden oldies. After the show, she visited two of her favorite nuns with her sister, Kathy Najimy, and sister Mary Wickes. They brought an urgent message from their mother (Maggie Smith).
The news later turned into an appeal. The old school was about to close, by a reactionary team of fathers, Barnard Hughes and James Coburn. At least, Morris's father meant it well; Cobain is not an ungrateful character, doesn't understand anything, makes all the wrong decisions, and sneers. So only by re-establishing her old habits, motivating the children, or restarting the school choir can the school be saved.
Goldberg accepted the job only after the protests. As Vegas' headliner, how did she disappear from her high-profile work? Not even asked. I think the order at the beginning is just an excuse for producing quantity.
No clichés are missed. We got them on fire: (1) the gifted student refused to participate, and then the satellite, lonely and neglected, until she finally came back on; (2) the dirty old room, the kids moped, cleaned and painted, turning it into their rehearsal area; (3) the early practice, in nothing good; (4) the shy kids with the sounds of the Great Depression; (5) the desperate fundraising trip to the national finals; (6) the backstage for the rich kids with expensive uniforms, and, of course, (7) the dramatic tardiness.
It's too bad and a lot of opportunities are missed because Ubi Goldberg is a sympathetic comedian who could have done more of a prickly and clever script. And Lauryn Hill's brilliant performance, like this talented young woman who dropped out of school and agreed to join the choir, but she had to surpass her stern mother (Cheryl Lee Ralph). Hill, who has a happy musical voice and a glowing smile, is another example of genius.
That's what I want to know. After the original "Nuns Are Crazy" broke box office records for entertainment audiences around the world, the makers of this sequel may start out to be the best of what (religious humor, Goldberg Fringe, poor neighborhoods, singing nuns) and written material turned into a clever, funny movie. Why did they decide to take a tired formula from the shelf, dust it off, and recycle it again? Why not try to make a good movie?