Novitiate
A determined young woman tests her vocation and emerging identity against a fiercely authoritarian convent resisting the modern Catholic Church.
Overview
A young woman's quest for faith and identity unfolds within the rigid walls of a convent.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- austere
- oppressive
- intimate
- reflective viewing
- arthouse film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an uncompromising, compelling examination of faith, feminism, and institutional power, led by strong performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Reverend Mother resists Vatican II reforms while younger and more contemporary-minded sisters question the convent’s rigid order.
Cathleen’s spiritual vocation develops alongside questions of sexuality and desire within a celibate Catholic institution.
The enclosed convent, disciplined routines, and restrictive interiors make institutional confinement a persistent visual and emotional force.
The film centers women’s competing interpretations of faith and authority while scrutinizing the convent’s gendered hierarchy.
Films like Novitiate, and why
The Magdalene Sisters
shared female-centered institutional drama, spiritual conflict, and oppressive religious setting
Black Narcissus
shared austere convent setting, feminist critique, and psychologically intense female relationships
The Miseducation of Cameron Post
shared coming-of-age drama centered on sexuality, repression, and a restrictive Catholic environment
Disobedience
shared lesbian themes, religious repression, and emotionally confrontational period drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Margaret Betts
- Release Date
- 2017-10-27
- Runtime
- 123 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (192)
Cast
- Margaret Qualley
- Melissa Leo
- Julianne Nicholson
- Dianna Agron
- Lisa Stewart
- Morgan Saylor
- Liana Liberato
- Rebecca Dayan
- Eline Powell
- Chelsea Lopez
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Novitiate about?
- A determined young woman tests her vocation and emerging identity against a fiercely authoritarian convent resisting the modern Catholic Church.
- What is Novitiate like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Novitiate as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Novitiate violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Novitiate as mild.
- What did critics think of Novitiate?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an uncompromising, compelling examination of faith, feminism, and institutional power, led by strong performances.
- Which films are like Novitiate?
- Films with a similar feel include The Magdalene Sisters, Black Narcissus, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, and Disobedience.
- How long is Novitiate?
- Novitiate runs 123 minutes.
- Where can I watch Novitiate?
- In United States, Novitiate is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
