Though nuns are often portrayed as beacons of purity, they’re anything but in The Little Hours, Jeff Baena’s film set at a convent in medieval Italy. These sisters unleash torrents of profanity, violently lash out at men, chug sacramental wine, and explore their sexuality with wild abandon.
Subverting the expected behavior of nuns isn’t exactly an original concept—just look at The Sound of Music, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and Sister Act. From the outside, nuns’ lives look woefully rigid; they must take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. It’s always fun to watch repression backfire, but these movies also humanize and add depth to women who’re often reduced to their wimples.