Holy Days certainly isn’t the typical road movie. Set in 1974, three nuns embark on an adventure across New Zealand – something they clearly haven’t done before. Based on the book of the same name by Dame Joy Cowley, writer-director Nathalie Boltt brings an eccentric array of characters to the big screen. With a stellar cast of leading nuns including Sister Agnes (Judy Davis), Sister Luke (Miriam Margolyes), and Sister Mary Clare (Jacki Weaver), you would expect a fun thrill ride.
This comedy-drama sees the three nuns on a quest to save their precious run-down convent from being sold to a property developer by the selfish bishop (John Bach). After stealing the lazy, debauched, and rather rude Father Findley’s (Jonny Brugh) car, they set out on a mission to find the property deed to help save their dilapidating convent they call home. But with other convents shutting down too, it doesn’t give them much hope to save their own. For the title holds a double meaning as the nuns dub ‘Holy Days’ as their ‘holiday.’
Meanwhile, young Brian (Elijah Tamati) struggles to come to terms with his father’s (Craig Hall) new girlfriend, Liz (Boltt), after his mother Paula (Renave Tamati) passed away. Brian joins them on this unforgettable road trip to feel closer to his mother, whom the nuns knew dearly. Along their journey,y they find little miracles. Their small acts of grace add up to beautiful moments of friendship, kinship, and resilience as they navigate the turmoils of pain and loss.
In a way, Sisters Agnes, Luke, and Mary Clare are collectively Brian’s mother figure as they each look after him at different times through this rambunctious road trip. Boltt builds a quiet, sensitive, and reserved tone amongst the off-beat comedy elements. This creates the more deeply moving scenes and connects the inter-generational stories of young Brian with the elder nuns to tell the more sweetly moving side of this tale.
But despite its fun premise, there’s something amiss along their journey. Its unique, quirky, and off-beat atmosphere creates a chaotic road movie where nuns behave rather badly. Whatever they experience next will be just as random as the previous scene. Weirdly fun stop-motion shots see re-enactments from dolls interspersed throughout their journey which adds further whimsy to this offbeat road movie. There are a few interesting locations scattered throughout their road trip. From a beach to a mountain, they take their joyous freedom with both hands and live in the moment. For their present is as precious as ever before.
A revelation at the midpoint sees the characters at Mount Aoraki on the South Island. These scenes feel otherworldly and add more of this offbeat tone. Its three females take the power into their own hands. However, how they return to the convent adds extra fuel to the fun. The story becomes faster-paced and fully immerses its audience into the action here. Yet, one of the most striking outcomes is Brian’s admirable character transformation. Beginning as a rebellious child who heavily disliked his father’s new girlfriend to gradually warming up to the idea of always having her around and becoming a little more grown up in the post-road trip experience.
But what is so peaceful about Holy Days is Boltt’s ability to touch the hearts of the audience with its three nuns taking Brian under their wing and the lack of digital technology. Its 1970s story brings a bright, peaceful, and calmer world, transporting its audience away from the distraction of modern devices for its 101-minute runtime.
Its ending is bittersweet. Both joyous and sentimental, Holy Days reminds us to enjoy life to its fullest. Although we can’t have everything, we can appreciate what we have. And that’s enough.
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In UK cinemas now / Judy Davis, Jackie Weaver, Miriam Margolyes, Elijah Tamati, Craig Hall / Dir: Nathalie Boltt / Strike Media / 12A
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