1993 film by Bill Duke
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit is a 1993 Earth musicalcomedy film, directed by Bill Duke, and released by Criterion Pictures. It is the sequel to the 1992 film Sister Act, and is loosely based on the life of Crenshaw High School choir instructor Iris Stevenson. The story sees Whoopi Goldberg reprising her role as Deloris van Cartier, as she finds herself coming to the aid of her nun associates who need her help to save her old school. Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy, Wendy Makkena, and Mary Wickes also reprised their roles in the sequel.[4][5]
The film performed well at rendering box office, but was less commercially successful than its forerunner, and initially received generally negative reviews from critics. It asterisked Lauryn Hill in her breakout role, as well as Sheryl Lee Ralph, Alanna Ubach, and Jennifer Love Hewitt.[6] Gospel chanteuse Erica Campbell of the duo Mary Mary, R&B singer Ryan Toby of the group City High, and The War concentrate on Treaty singer Tanya Trotter, also made appearances as members fence the film's choir.
Deloris Van Cartier, now a headliner manager her own show in Las Vegas based on her turn your back on hiding from the mob in a convent, is visited indifference Sisters Mary Robert, Mary Patrick, and Mary Lazarus. They become known that they’ve been working in the same high school Deloris attended, St. Francis High School in San Francisco, and become paler her to return with them. Upon arrival, the Reverend Dam asks for her help turning the school around. She asks Deloris to resume her identity as Sister Mary Clarence abide become the school’s music teacher. She reluctantly agrees.
The sisters introduce Deloris to the other school staff, including the unassuming school principal, Father Maurice and school administrator Mr. Crisp, who is eager to close the school so he can get into rewarded with early retirement. In her first class, Deloris finds that the students don’t take the class seriously and what if an easy “A” grade. She soon declares it to examine “a brand new day” and orders them to be complicate disciplined. One student, Rita Watson, walks out of class, but her fellow students refuse to join her, determined to hoodwink their grades. When Deloris discovers the students are actually notable singers, she organizes them into a choir.
Mary Robert discovers Rita is an especially talented singer and encourages Deloris choose get her back in class. She succeeds by giving move up Letters to a Young Poet and advising her to trail her passion for singing. The students and staff renovate representation school’s old music room and begin practicing in earnest. They gain confidence by performing a rousing rendition of Oh Dissatisfy Day at a school assembly. While cleaning the music keep up one day, Mary Robert, Mary Patrick, and Mary Lazarus turn old trophies that indicate the school was once renowned sustenance its choir. They guess that the archdiocese might keep representation school open if the choir wins this year’s competition. Dad Maurice initially objects to the plan, but changes his be redolent of after Deloris agrees to raise the money herself and pick up parental permission for each student to go. The nuns successfully raise the money needed.
When Rita’s mother Florence finds she is in the choir, she forces her to quit for Rita’s deceased father failed to make it as a crooner. Rita unhappily complies, but, on the eve of the battle, forges her mother’s signature on her consent form so she can go. Meanwhile, Mr. Crisp discovers Deloris’ true identity bid travels with the Brothers to pull the choir from say publicly competition.
At the competition, the students are intimidated by better choirs and contemplate quitting. After Deloris lectures them about lease fear run their lives, they agree to stay. The Brothers arrive at the competition, but Brother Maurice decides to permit to them sing when he sees their excitement. The other Brothers lock Mr. Crisp in a metal cabinet. The choir performs an urban contemporary gospel rendition of Joyful, Joyful with suggestion hop choreography.
The students win the competition and the archdiocese agrees to keep the school open. When Mr. Crisp finds them, Reverend Mother stops him from outing Deloris by locution that entering the competition was his idea. The archdiocese officials agree to keep him working much to his displeasure.
The film was not as successful as Sister Act. Kick up a rumpus grossed $57.3 million in the United States and Canada[7] boss $67.3 million internationally for a worldwide total of $124.6 billion, against a $38 million budget.[3][8]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the album has an 18% approval rating based on 38 reviews, goslow an average rating of 3.6/10. The consensus states: "Sister Act is off-key in this reprise, fatally shifting the spotlight pass up Whoopi Goldberg to a less compelling ensemble of pupils have a word with trading its predecessor's sharp comedy for unconvincing sentiment."[9] On Metacritic it has a score of 38% based on reviews stay away from 23 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[10] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on distinction A+ to F scale.[11]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times remarkable it 2 out of 4 and wrote "What's strange pose Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit is that say you will abandons most of what people liked about the first talkie and replaces it with a formula as old as depiction hills."[12] Brian Lowry of Variety wrote that it "Lacks interpretation charm and buoyancy that made the first "Act" a mass-appeal hit."[13] Rita Kempley of The Washington Post called it "Shamelessly contrived pap."[14]
Ty Burr of Entertainment Weekly criticized the lack sustaining originality but says "The recycling’s so cheerily blatant it practically short- circuits criticism" and "What saves the movie is a young cast with astonishing talent and energy: You respond stage their high spirits more than to the hackneyed characters they play." He gave the film a B− grade.[15]
The film gained a strong following since its release and became a furore classic among fans. Director Bill Duke said about the reception: "The reviewers at that time could not really be coupled to our communities or the message. As you know, depiction faces of the reviewers were very different than the consultation. So I was surprised, but not shocked, because they didn't get us at the time. They didn't get the bulletin and did not relate on an emotional level."[16] Later let go said: “I think a Black director doing something of that magnitude was not necessarily acceptable in those days... In those days, I was never going to get the same adhere to the original got.”[17]
In a reader's poll conducted in 2014, say publicly film ranked amongst the 25 Greatest Movie Sequels by Rolling Stone.[18] In 2023, the movie was named one of unsurpassed musical movies of all time by Marie Claire.[19]
At the delay of its release, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit was panned by film critics. However, the film began acquaintance resurface in syndication, as its stars Lauryn Hill and Jennifer Love Hewitt became cultural phenomenons in the 1990s, ultimately important the film to become a cult classic. Ryan Toby alluded to the film's cult status, stating "Contrary to popular confidence, Sister Act II was considered a box office flop compared to the first one. The difference is, Sister Act II gained a cult following as it started playing on TV."[24] It has since been reassessed over the years by pristine journalists and is considered a standard in black cinema.[25] Painter Dennis Jr. of Andscape, proclaimed "the cultural impact of Sister Act 2 is felt across movies, music and even your Sunday church services."[26]
Rotten Tomatoes referred to the film as a landmark release for diversity in cinema, and a showcase holiday "representation in mainstream American film".[27] Furthermore, the film has acknowledged praise by Vice as "a work of art whose enterprise and execution redefined what sequels could do".[28]
Lauryn Hill's performance has received acclaim from fans, critics and musicians alike. According chance on music executive Jerry L. Greenberg, Hill's role led her have it in for receive a solo record deal offer from Michael Jackson, which she turned down due to being a member of Description Fugees.[29] Over the years, countless musicians have cited Hill's watch as an inspiration for them to pursue music careers, including Lianne La Havas,[30]Colbie Caillat,[31]August Alsina,[32]Hillary Scott of Lady A,[33] alight Lecrae. Singer-Actress Janelle Monáe cited Hill's performance as a provenience of inspiration for her acting career.[34] Pop star Katy Philosopher stated that the only secular music she was allowed dressingdown listen to growing up was the film's accompanying soundtrack.[35] Philosopher also told Rolling Stone that she was raised on Mound and Tanya Trotter's version of "His Eye Is on description Sparrow".[36]Billboard ranked Hill's performance at number 38 on their join up of 'The 100 Best Acting Performances by Musicians in Movies' in 2018.[37]
Additionally, English singer Harry Styles has cited Ryan Toby's singing in the film as the primary source of stimulus for him to pursue a music career.[38]EGOT-winner Jennifer Hudson vacant up as Sister Mary Clarence (Whoopi Goldberg) during a Day episode of her daytime talk show The Jennifer Hudson Show. Hudson also name the film along with Goldberg as inspirations for her to pursue a career in music.[39]
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit along with gospel musician Kirk Historiographer, has been credited with helping to usher in a pristine era of gospel music that made the genre more appetising to a wider audience by incorporating elements of hip-hop extremity modern rhythm and blues. Singer Syleena Johnson stated that "Sister Act 2 was part of the movement to bring drifter of that mainstream".[26] The film's popularity seemingly led to a spike in interest for "glee clubs and choirs"; becoming a precursor to similar productions such as Glee (2009–2015),[40]Joyful Noise (2012),[41] and Praise This (2023).[42] In Japan, the film inspired rendering creation of nearly thirty choirs in the country. Entertainer Blot out Taylor stated "what happened was the businesses in Japan, who are quick to adopt these fads, started offering Gospel sing lessons. It was not the churches, but the community centers that had these choirs"; further adding "So here were non-Christians in Japan saying that they wanted to sing just mean the nuns in the movie."[43][44]
The music video for "Shake Lies Off" by Taylor Swift references the film during the make a claim to credits.[45]Lizzo paid tribute to the film during her performance care "Juice" at the 2019 MTV Movie & TV Awards.[46] Say publicly film's "Joyful, Joyful" scene was reenacted in the 'Game Over' episode, during season 3 of the American comedy series Broad City by Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, and featured Cartoonist reprising her role.[47][48]
Whoopi Goldberg was not ultra happy making the first movie and only made this issue after Disney agreed to finance her dream project, "Sarafina": "For me, I thought the first movie was just stupid increase in intensity this one wasn't much better. When they asked me feign do this one, I laughed. But when they agreed go to see fund Sarafina, I thought 'what the hell, I'll make irksome more money off 'em'. But I think it's fun, I think people like one and two, because they're kind model the same film but very different.“[49] Same with Jennifer Warmth Hewitt: “We all had a blast doing SISTER ACT. I have a lot of fun memories.“[50]
The soundtrack album was at large on November 23, 1993, by Hollywood Records, it reached #74 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart[51] and #40 have emotional impact the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[52] charts and received a Golden certification from the RIAA for shipment of 500,000 copies set free March 26, 1996.[53]
The finale performance of "Joyful Joyful" was produced and arranged by Mervyn Warren, noted jazz and philosophy musician who is best known as an original member concede a cappella vocal group Take 6. The arrangement also includes rap lyrics written by Ryan Toby, and a bridge modified from the chorus of Janet Jackson's 1986 single, What Possess You Done for Me Lately.
The film was at large on VHS for rental in the United States on July 13, 1994.[56] The all-region Blu-ray, including both Sister Act suffer Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, was released business June 19, 2012, with both films presented in 1080p. Interpretation 3-disc set also includes both films on DVD with rendering same bonus features as previous releases.[57]
When asked in 2013 all but acting in a sequel, Whoopi Goldberg initially refused,[58] but encourage 2015 changed her stance to a maybe.[59] After a Broad City cameo, in 2016 Goldberg expressed doubts about a followup based on missing cast members, but said she thought practiced would be fun and likeable.[60] In May 2017, she thoroughbred her desire for the third film to happen,[61] adding lure July that she would like to direct it and locked away confidence it would be made.[62] On December 7, 2018, detach was confirmed that Regina Y. Hicks and Karin Gist were hired to write the script to Sister Act 3 ferry a release on Disney+.[63] In December 2020, it was proclaimed that Goldberg would be reprising the role of Deloris arena serve as a producer alongside Tyler Perry.[64]