The Secret Scripture (2016)

A woman keeps a diary of her extended stay at a mental hospital.

Director:

Jim Sheridan

Writers:

Sebastian Barry (based on the novel by), Jim Sheridan

Stars:

Rooney Mara, Adrian Dunbar, Eric Bana

2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Rooney Mara	...	Rose
Adrian Dunbar	...	Dr. Hart
Eric Bana	...	Dr. Grene
Aidan Turner	...	Jack Conroy
Theo James	...	Father Gaunt
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Lady Rose
Jack Reynor	...	Michael McNulty
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor	...	McCabe
Susan Lynch	...	Nurse
Brian Fortune	...	Psychiatric Analyst
Elva Trill	...	Pregnant Woman
Pauline McLynn	...	Anne McCartney
Omar Sharif Jr.	...	Daniel O'Brien
Nika McGuigan	...	Chrissie
Laurence O'Fuarain	...	Detective

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

1940s | three word title | female protagonist | female mental patient | irish | 

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Taglines:

Time doesn't forget.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for disturbing thematic content, some sexuality and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Ireland

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 October 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tss

Filming Locations:

County Wicklow, Ireland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Screen Ireland, Apollo Media, Ferndale Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.40 : 1 Anamorphic

Did You Know?

Trivia

Based on Sebastian Barry's novel The Secret Scripture which is one of the McNulty Family series of books.

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Goofs

Eric Bana is driven around in a Volvo 245 Station wagon, but the only time he is shown inside the car it is obviously a sedan model with a sloped roof and rounded rear windows, quite different from the boxy 80s Volvo seen from the outside.

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Quotes

Lady Rose: There's a sickness in people that stops them seeing the truth.

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Soundtracks

Moonlight Sonata
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Brian Byrne
© Secret Films Ltd.

User Reviews

The Secret Scripture (2016)

I didn't really know about this film but of course I'll watch anything with Rooney Mara in it no matter what. I absolutely love her, think she's still underrated and think she's absolutely gorgeous. You do have to be cautious about directors whose work hasn't really resonated well in the past so I wasn't expecting something truly great from Jim Sheridan. The minimum of my requirements was to enjoy Rooney Mara and solely in that aspect it met my expectations. 

The Secret Scripture is based on the novel of the same name and is about a girl named Rose (played by Rooney Mara) and her young life in which she has a few suitable men interested in her. The film chronicles her love life and the turmoil that follows with it. It also details her mental health problems and her hospitalization which changes her life in unimaginable ways. The film follows an older Rose (Vanessa Redgrave) and is told through her written diary entries. 

This film isn't very good. I did read that book readers were extremely disappointed by this film either through its adaptation or through changing key points of the plot. The film drudges along and never looks to fully realize its purpose. I think the lead actors's chemistry was off and the script really let the actors down (possibly from not being good enough).  Maybe I am biased because I love Mara but I think she did really well in the film and gave a full effort. You could sense the bewilderment in her character when she got locked into the mental institution.

Overall, no harm done with this one. I didn't really know about it or have any hopes. Bare minimum was that I wanted to see Rooney Mara do well and she does. The film just isn't interesting has a lot of questions and is structured in a careless manner. Nothing to really see here. I'll just look forward to seeing Mara as Mary Magdeline later this year instead.

6/10