The Letters (2015)

"The Letters" stars Juliet Stevenson, Max von Sydow, Rutger Hauer, and Priya Darshini. Released on December 4, 2015, the film chronicles the events of Mother Teresa through the personal letters that she wrote over the last 40 years of her life.

The film is directed by William Riead. This is the type of film that really puts my critiquing skills to the test. Before this film, I have not watched any of the religious films that were in theaters or on television. When I decided to challenge myself and my style of reviewing movies, I chose this particular film in which I thought might be a little harder for me to review since it appears to be made for a specific type of audience. Just to be clear, I'm reviewing it as a film itself and not just as a film for people with religious beliefs.

Pros:
Decent performances throughout. Stevenson was impressive as Teresa.

Its themes worked well in terms of religion.

Good direction.

Some consistent pacing.

Cons:
Weak script.

The quality feels like a made-for-television movie.

The story was good, but its emotional depth felt forced at times.
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Final thoughts: While thought-provoking for religious groups and those who are familiar with Mother Teresa, "The Letters" failed to deliver more than what is presented to those outside of those categories. For what it's worth, I thought they did a nice job showcasing Mother Teresa's good deeds, but for those who aren't into these types of movies, it's better off as a television event on the Hallmark channel rather than a theatrical film. This movie may be worth watching by those who enjoy religious based movies or those who are interested in the story of Mother Teresa.
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C-