Sister Act (1992)

After witnessing a murder in Reno, the mistress (Whoopi Goldberg) of a gangster (Harvey Keitel) is placed in a witness protection program. The program places her in a San Francisco convent until a trial date for her gangster boyfriend is set. In the meanwhile her boyfriend has placed a bounty on her. Directed by Emile Ardolino (DIRTY DANCING), this was a surprise hit and one of the highest grossing comedies of the 1990s. If there's a reason for its success, it's Whoopi Goldberg (who inherited the part when Bette Midler turned it down). Her comedic timing is flawless here and she and the expert cast are good enough to make us forget how far fetched the plot is, at least while we're watching. Afterwards, you're on your own. While music is plentiful in the film proper, it's not really a musical although it was turned into a stage musical in 2006. In addition to Goldberg, three other performers stand out. As the Mother Superior, Maggie Smith makes for a droll foil contrast to Goldberg. Then there's Mary Wickes and Kathy Najimy as her fellow nuns, both providing comedic assistance. It's a hard movie to resist so why try? Go with the flow and have some fun. A sequel emerged in 1993 but it didn't have the same spark. With Bill Nunn, Jenifer Lewis, Susan Browning, Ruth Kobart and Wendy Makkena.