Stigmata (1999) Reviewed by Eugene Novikov http://www.ultimate-movie.com Member: Online Film Critics Society
**1/2 out of four
Starring Patricia Arquette, Gabriel Byrne, Jonathan Pryce. Rated R.
The influence of the MTV generation on cinema has never been more apparent than in Stigmata, a visually stunning, prepostrously plotted thriller that also happens to be vehemently anti-Catholic. MGM will never hear the end of it from the ubiquitous, uncomfortably large Catholic League, and understandably so; unlike some of the films that activist groups have made a fuss about, it's not hard to see where this one may offend. Let the offended ones balk, but this is tremendously enjoyable trash, an audaciously stylized full-length music video that manages to deliver a smart, surprisingly restrained message in a story that doesn't make an iota of sense.
Frankie Paige (Patricia Arquette), a spunky Pittsburg hairdresser who is also an atheist, comes home after a night on the town. She's tired. A nice, warm bath seems like a tantalizingly good idea, so she decides to take one. As she submerges herself in the water, something happens. Her body thrashes in the tub, as if under the will of an invisible attacker. Next thing she knows, she is in the hospital. There are identical puncture wounds on both of her wrists. They go all the way through, piercing both flesh and bone. The doctor reasonably assumes, considering the nature of the injuries and the circumstances under which they were incurred, that she mutilated herself in an apparent suicide attempts. Frankie denies it, claiming that she loves her life and would not even think about ending it.
A couple of days pass. Frankie and her pal (Nia Long) are on a subway train. Something happens. The lights go out and the car shakes. Frankie moves into the middle, her arms outstretched and holding on to the overhead compartments. She receives numerous whippings on her back, again coming from a seemingly invisible attacker. Is it a coincidence that a group of nuns and priests were in the same car with her? What is happening to this innocent woman?
These events are brought to the attention of the Roman Catholic Church, which sends Father Andrew Kiernan (Gabriel Byrne, who, ironically, will be playing Satan in the upcoming End of Days), a priest/scientist/gumshoe to investigate. The suspicion, of course, is that Frankie is a stigmatic, one of the very rare people afflicted with the wounds of Christ. But stigmatics are invariably deeply faithful people, and Frankie being an atheist presents a fundamental contradiction. This is so unheard of, in fact, that Kiernan is ready to dismiss the case, that is until Frankie, angry, confused and vulnerable, convinces him to probe further. In doing so, he finds himself questioning his own loyalties.
I can't go into too much detail without revealing some of the plot's secrets, but to accept Stigmata's story is to accept the fact that God would be willing to cause severe injury to people in order to get his point across. Considering this film's devoutly religious message, that is ludicrous. The thought mires down the movie at every turn, since we are constantly depended on to accept it.
I never believed the film for a second, but I was delighted with the way young director Rupert Wainwright (um, Blank Check, anyone?) brought it to life. He will take flack for employing the "MTV style" of filmmaking (some have unfairly labeled it "attention deficit disorder filmmaking), but I defend his choice. The rapid, stylish, somewhat hyperactive way Stigmata was filmed, along with its booming, spontaneous soundtrack, not only makes the film more palatable but it also diverts our attention somewhat from the movie's inconsistencies and makes it easier to watch. Give Rupert Wainwright a good script, I say, and we may have our next Brian DePalma.
Patricia Arquette gives an astonishingly good performance as the physically and emotionally battered Frankie. At times, her grief is devastatingly palpable. Gabriel Byrne reminded me a bit too much of Jason Miller's Damien Karras in The Exorcist, but I suppose that was not fully unintentional. Actually, Stigmata is less similar to the William Peter Blatty classic than many have claimed. It isn't nearly as scary -- or as good -- but it is more thoughtful and less patently devilish.
Stigmata has a good cast, wonderful style and some effective filmmaking all undermined by the implausibility of its story. It's an intelligent movie and it is a well-made one; if only I could believe it. ©1999 Eugene Novikov ‰
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