The Magdalene Sisters

Skip the prestige-TV noise — The Magdalene Sisters, in the US on Kanopy and Hoopla, is quietly one of the better ones. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. 478 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Anne-Marie Duff's performance alone is worth the time investment. Start it on Kanopy whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, The Magdalene Sisters is worth clearing space for. The Magdalene Sisters takes its time building the world its characters inhabit, and the patience pays off. Three young Irish women struggle to maintain their spirits while they endure dehumanizing abuse as inmates of a Magdalene Sisters Asylum. Anne-Marie Duff and Nora-Jane Noone lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. The Magdalene Sisters came out in 2002. What elevates The Magdalene Sisters is a refusal to let any character off the hook too easily. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

The Magdalene Sisters is what you recommend to people who say they do not really watch much. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Anne-Marie Duff carries the material with a performance that rewards close attention. Worth starting sooner rather than later.

The Magdalene Sisters was released in 2002, directed by Peter Mullan. The full 119-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.