Three to see
orchestral score composed by Hildur Gudnadottir and the late Johann Johannsson.
As a handsomely crafted sermon about spiritual awakening and sacrifice, Mary Magdalene preaches to the art house masses with aplomb. Awomen.
Unfortunately, the film observes the title character from such a safe, reverential distance, it’s hard to connect with her on an emotional level beyond her soporific words.
The film opens on the coast of Judaea in 33 CE, where Mary of Magdala (Mara) tends the land with her brothers Daniel (Denis Menochet) and Joseph (Ryan Corr) and sister Rachel (Ariane Labed).
The patriarchy strongly encourages Mary to submit to the preconceived role of her gender and marry a local man, whose children need a mother.
After much internal wrangling and feverish prayer, Mary
defies this Chiwetel Ejiofor as Peter Mara alongside Joaquin Phoenix, who plays Jesus Christ edict and brings shame on her kin.
“There is something unnatural inside her!” rages Daniel, who roughly marches his sister down to the Sea of Galilee, where she is subjected to an exorcism ritual.
Soon after, Mary meets prophet Jesus Christ ( Joaquin Phoenix) and he inspires her to join the ranks of the apostles, including Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Judas (Tahar Rahim).
As the only woman invited to travel with the prophet, Mary is a divisive figure among Jesus’ followers.
Regardless, she is repeatedly taken into Jesus’ confidence and shares poignant words with his INGRID GOES WEST (15) mother, Mary of Nazareth (Irit Sheleg).
“You must prepare yourself, like me, to lose him,” tenderly counsels the matriarch as the apostles approach Jerusalem.
Mary Magdalene frames the central character’s odyssey within biblical scenes that will be familiar to audiences of all faiths including the raising of Lazarus and the crucifixion.
Mara and Phoenix deliver their lines with softly spoken earnestness, while Rahim teases out sympathy for his conflicted apostle, who will eventually betray Jesus.
The tug of war between tradition and equality plays out far too gently to draw blood. BATTLE OF THE SEXES (12)