Therese

This is a lovely presentation of the life of St. Therese of Liseiux. It shows her as an ordinary child and young woman and how anyone can become a saint. The main requirement is to love God.

It is impossible to show Therese's life on a single DVD. At the time I am writing this, two other reviews were written, one rating 1 star, the other 5 stars. Both are right!

The 5 star review is right, because ultimately for me the question would be: does this movie lift my heart up to God? And I must answer, without hesitation, yes! I love St. Therese dearly and even more so after this movie. Many things I know from Therese's letters are in the movie. They try to depict as much as they can, and especially when you catch what the makers of the DVD are referring to, you'll love Therese all the more, because you are seriously taken into her life.

However, the 1 star review is also right. During the movie, I thought that a 10 hour movie would be a lot better. The scenes skip very fast and I think only with the proper knowledge of her life, you'll really get something out of the movie, because you only need a few images to bring back what you know about this Little Saint. Scenes I had been looking forward to, like her taking her vows (as well as many others!), are so short, you do feel a little disappointed.

Still, this movie was made with love and respect for St. Therese. If you love her as well, and can suffer some disappointment, then I suggest buying it. If you are looking for the perfect movie on St. Therese, skip this one, though.

If you are looking for a slick, Hollywoo-style movie, skip this one: you'll be disappointed. But the loss will be yours: Leonardo Defilippis, the film director, is known for productions that are trim, simple and elegant. The film is rich in symbolism and meaning. Watch it more than once, and messages previously missed clearly emerge.