IMDb listing
CNS/USCCB () review
Los Angeles Times (J. Chang) review
RogerEbert.com (Nick Allen) review
AVClub (M. D'Angelo) review
Mary Magdalene [2018] (directed by Garth Davis, screenplay by Helen Edmundson and Philippa Goslett), following long standing tradition here in the United States, is coming out in limited release as Holy Week approaches. Last year, the film Paul: Apostle for Christ [2018] was released at approximately the same time as well.
Like Paul of last year, Mary Magdalene here is a high quality product that will relieve many Viewers who may reluctantly come (or even decline coming at all) to see a film such as this, fearing that that the film would somehow seek to be needlessly provocative in its presentation of this extremely important Gospel figure.
Indeed, I wish to assure Readers here that Mary Magdalene (played in the film by Rooney Mara) is portrayed in the film, not unlike the manner in which she is portrayed in the Roma Downey produced Christ centered film Son of God [2014]. That is, Mary Magdalene is portrayed as simply a good, competent, devoted disciple of Christ, JUST LIKE ANY NUMBER OF GOOD, COMPETENT, DEVOTED CHRISTIAN WOMEN IN ANY PARISH THAT I HAVE EVER SERVED.
I find Roma Downey now Rooney Mara portrayals of Mary Magdalene a welcome step forward, as I do believe that past portrayals of her have tended to overly sexualize her as either "a former prostitute" or more recently as in the Da Vinci Code as "Jesus' wife." Did Mary Magdalene "have to be" Jesus' wife? Of course not. To say so would misunderstand countless women in parishes and churches across the world and across time, who like Mary Magdalene have been simply and above all faithful and thoroughly competent "Disciples of Christ."
So honestly a great job and _thoroughly intelligent_ portrayal of this key Gospel figure.
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