THE SECRET SCRIPTURE (2016)

From Google images

The Novel by Sebastian Barry

THE MOVIE

Version 11

Roseanne McNulty must vacate the soon-to-be demolished mental institution in Roscommon, Ireland that she's called home for over 50 years. The hospital's psychiatrist, Dr. William Grene, is called in to assess her condition. He finds himself intrigued by Roseanne's seemingly inscrutable rituals and tics, and her fierce attachment to her Bible, which she has over the decades transformed into a palimpsest of scripture, drawings, and cryptic diary entries. As Grene delves deeper into Roseanne's past, we see her as a young woman, whose charisma proves seductive. We learn that she moved to Sligo to work in her aunt's café, fell in love with a dashing fighter pilot, and that a local priest fell tragically in love with her.Written by AnonymousB

Initial release: 4 November 2016 (Greece)

Director: Jim Sheridan

Story by: Sebastian Barry

Screenplay by: Jim Sheridan and Johnny Ferguson

Adapted from: The Secret Scripture

Original Music composed by: Brian Byrne

Stars:  Rooney Mara, Eric Bana, Jack Reynor, Theo James and Vanessa Redgrave

This morning before going to Church, dad asked me, "Have you seen THE SECRET SCRIPTURE?"

"No, I haven't, dada."

"You've got to watch it.  It's beautiful."

I thought to myself, "This movie is perfect for a Sunday."  I wasn't feeling well, but I had my family by my side, so I was able to go to Church with them, have lunch with them, but I didn't have the energy to watch Mission: Impossible--Fallout again, so I went home with my folks after buying three tickets for my brother, my sister-in-law and my nephew.  There were only a few seats left so even if I were well enough to watch it again, there was no space for me...

So when I arrived home,  I searched for THE SECRET SCRIPTURE.  I found the link and chose version 11.  

As I was watching the movie I realised that boy, was I so wrong.  It's not a movie perfect for a Sunday, but it has a good story.  It is full of intrigue...very mysterious indeed.  Did she or did she not kill her child?

VANESSA REDGRAVE plays the older Roseanne, while ROONEY MARA plays the young and beautiful Roseanne. Both of them gave moving performances.

THEO JAMES plays a priest who gets obsessed with Rose.  Just because he couldn't have her, he makes a report that she is a nymphomaniac.  Tsk, tsk! For me he was a very hateful character.  He would rather have her admitted in a terrible mental facility than let her be with her one true love.  Yet, he was also conflicted. A very, very troubled soul.  I think that was how one of them described him too.

JACK REYNOR plays Michael McNulty, the man Rose marries.  Her ONE TRUE LOVE. Her aunt thought it was a figment of her imagination that she got married to him so she signed the committal papers.

SUSAN LYNCH plays the nurse that believes Lady Rose is not mentally ill...that she is telling the truth.  

ERIC BANA plays the psychiatrist who reevaluates Rose.  He discovers SOMETHING while evaluating her.  This discovery makes this movie really, really beautiful. It was something I guessed and I'm glad I'm right.

The story is indeed disturbing, but it has hope and redeeming factors.

It's sad that the townspeople thought she inherited her mother's madness, but in the end, it wouldn't matter.

I hope a lot of people would get to watch this film.

On my end, I would probably buy Sebastian Barry's novel the soonest I could.  

Thanks for your time.