The Novena

I saw this film at the 2006 Palm Springs International Film Festival. Élise Guilbert is fascinating as Jeanne and Patrick Drolet delivers a fine performance as François in this very serious and somber drama but I found how the way they came together to be a little implausible. I got the St.Anne-grandmother-savior parallel connection right away in the film and felt it was unnecessary for the film to point out it out to me later on in the film. I found myself predicting the ending about halfway through the film. This movie is really slow in parts that seem to drag on. The script is a little weak as is the dialog. I liked the story and the premise of the film but felt it could have been done a little differently. I would rate it a 6.5 or possibly a 7.0 but wouldn't go out of my way to see it twice.