In Italy, in 1889, Francesca Cabrini (Cristiana Dell’Anna) is a nun in the Roman Catholic Church. Cabrini is passionate about helping young children who live in poverty and roam the streets. Her dream is to start building a network of orphanages in Lombardy. Unfortunately, her request is continually denied, even after speaking with high priests. During one such meeting, Cabrini demands to talk directly with the Pope. The Pope initially declines, but he finally sits down with Cabrini and is moved by her heart and passion. She reveals to him her long-term plan to build an orphanage network. The Pope approves but asks that she begin in the West, not the East. Cabrini agrees to the Pope’s request and begins her mission by travelling to New York, America, with other members of the Catholic Church who will work under her.
When Cabrini arrives in New York, she is heartbroken to see its current state. She discovers that young children are forced to hide, and most live underground while street rats above are getting better care. The location of her planned orphanage also comes with surprises and challenges. The work required will take faith, time, and some significant miracles. As Cabrini deals with people to achieve her dream, the men she interacts with begin to wish she didn’t exist in their city. The town Mayor, Gould (John Lithgow), is also not interested in having Italians roaming around or Cabrini succeeding in his town. In addition to battling with influential male leaders and seeking funding, Cabrini’s health is also at risk, as doctors soon confirm that she has tuberculosis with only a few years to live. With time running out, Cabrini will do everything for the sake of the children and future generations.
Cabrini is a dramatic biography about a real-life woman who dreamed of helping and saving orphaned children. The film was directed by Alejandro Gómez Monteverde, known for his previous work on Sound of Freedom, another movie based on a true story that focuses on rescuing young children. However, Cabrini is a much larger and different film to Sound of Freedom. This period piece is set in a specific time and carries a powerful story that deals with important themes, delivering many positive messages.
Cristiana Dell’Anna is outstanding as Cabrini, portraying the character with conviction and compassion. You can believe that Cabrini genuinely cares about every homeless child and is committed to providing them the care they need. As a woman of faith, she trusts that God will keep his promise to her and fights tirelessly for what is right and just. John Lithgow also delivers an excellent performance, although I would have liked to see more of him on screen. The locations, visuals, and costumes are all top-notch, and the extensive use of background actors in certain scenes adds to the film’s realism.
While some scenes are impacting, the overall pace seems slow, and the runtime is noticeable. There were moments when I questioned if the scene I was watching was necessary. The lighting is good in some parts, but it can be distracting in other scenes. The score sometimes feels out of place or needs altering slightly to match the scene’s tone. However, this is a minor issue since the film relies more on dialogue than its score.
Overall, if you enjoy titles such as Sound of Freedom and biographies or history, Cabrini is a touching true story that I found compelling. Cabrini was a passionate and strong woman with great faith and determination to fulfil God’s work by rescuing children and getting them off the streets and into care. Cristiana Dell’Anna’s performance is a major standout, and she is highly commendable in her role, convincingly and believably portraying Cabrini. The locations, costume work, and setting of times gone by in New York were also wonderful to see. However, the pacing is slow, and the lengthy runtime is felt. Additionally, there were some hit-and-miss moments in the lighting and the film’s score. Ultimately, Cabrini is still a fascinating, uplifting story filled with positive messages.
Cabrini (2023) will be available in Australian Cinemas starting March 7th!
7.5/10
2nd March 2024
Written by Peter Walkden
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