Holy Days: Fans of Miriam Margolyes will be disappointed

I’m a big fan of Miriam Margolyes (who isn’t?), so when I got an invite to review her latest movie, Holy Days, at a private screening at Soho House on Dean Street yesterday, I jumped at the chance. Especially as it was about 33 degrees centigrade outside and the screening room there not only has really comfy seats, but also amazing air conditioning!

I left about 1 hour 45 minutes later feeling much cooler, but ultimately quite disappointed by the movie. Set in New Zealand, Holy Days is essentially a 1970s-based road movie about three nuns (Miriam Margolyes plays the oddly named Sister Luke) who go on the run to the South Island when they find out that their convent is being sold to an evil property developer by feckless priest Father Findlay (of course has a drinking and gambling problem too).

Accompanying them on the journey is a young lad called Brian Collins (played superbly by Elijah Tamati), who is struggling to come to terms with his mother’s death and build a relationship with his father’s new partner, who can never replace his mother. Feeling lost and insecure, he finds solace with the elderly nuns and the clear love and solidarity they show for one another and for him.

Funny moments

It’s certainly a heartfelt journey, especially as Brian explores the South Island mountains that held spiritual significance for his Mum, and where he – spoiler alert – nearly loses his life. But ultimately Holy Days fails to deliver. Yes, there are funny moments, especially when Miriam Margolyes’ gluttonous character spits out her dentures or declares ‘I’m not fat, I’m just easy to see’. However, they’re few and far between.

You get the sense that Margolyes is really going through the motions (I guess I don’t blame her) and, although the child actor is excellent, the other performances are mostly lacklustre and the storyline more than a bit clichéd. I feel like the idea of nuns going rogue, stealing a car and generally doing things they shouldn’t, is a familiar one.

The storyline doesn’t make that much sense either. It’s not clear why they have to travel to the South Island to get the deeds for the convent, which they then don’t get anyway, or why the lawyer in charge of the case just happens to be Brian’s great-aunt! Ultimately, it all seems an excuse to show nuns driving first too slow and then too fast on remote, sheep-populated country roads as they make their way back to the ferry before the convent is potentially bulldozed!

If you’re at a real loose end during the summer holidays, then Holy Days is certainly not the worst film you’ll have ever seen. But if you are a big fan of Miriam Margolyes you may be left somewhat disappointed by this Nuns on the Run/Sister Act-style caper.

RATING: 3/5

HOLY DAYS comes to cinemas from August 14