Watch The Letters

The Letters is a British biographical drama film released in 2014. The movie is directed by William Riead and stars Juliet Stevenson, Max von Sydow, and Rutger Hauer in the lead roles. The plot revolves around the life of Mother Teresa and her efforts to establish her Missionaries of Charity. The story begins with Mother Teresa, played by Juliet Stevenson, receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her humanitarian work in India. The award ceremony takes place in Oslo where she gives her acceptance speech and returns to Calcutta soon after. After her return, she receives a letter from a young American priest, Father Celeste van Exem, played by Max von Sydow whom she had met thirty years ago in Calcutta.

The rest of the movie is a blend of flashbacks and present events. It shows the journey of Mother Teresa to Calcutta in 1946, where she began her work with the poorest of the poor, the dying and destitute. The flashback sequences portray her struggle to get permission from the Vatican to establish her Missionaries of Charity and the hardships faced by her in the initial years of the Mission.

The movie then focuses on the correspondence between Mother Teresa and Father Celeste van Exem, who acts as a spiritual mentor to her. Father Celeste helps Mother Teresa to come to terms with her doubts and insecurities and inspires her to continue her work.

In addition to the flashback sequences, the present-day events that take place in the movie include Mother Teresa's efforts to open a hospital in New York and the friction that arises between her and the Catholic Church. The movie also shows her failing health and her eventual demise on September 5, 1997, at the Missionaries of Charity convent in Calcutta.

The Letters is an inspiring movie that portrays the life of an extraordinary woman who devoted her life to the service of the poor and the needy. The movie not only showcases the hardships faced by Mother Teresa but also her unwavering faith in God and her determination to carry on the work that she believed was her calling. The Letters doesn't shy away from showing the human side of Mother Teresa, as she struggles with self-doubt and the challenges of managing the Missionaries of Charity.

The performances of the lead actors are commendable, especially Juliet Stevenson, who delivers a convincing portrayal of Mother Teresa. Max von Sydow's portrayal of Father Celeste van Exem is gentle and endearing, bringing a sense of calm and wisdom to the character. Rutger Hauer's role as Benjamin Praagh, an investigative journalist who seeks to uncover the flaws in Mother Teresa's work, adds a layer of complexity to the film and brings forth the opposition that Mother Teresa faced from the Catholic Church and other critics.

The Letters is a visually stunning movie, with rich cinematography that showcases the beauty and complexity of Calcutta, as well as the starkness of the Missionaries of Charity's hospices. The movie's score is poignant and uplifting, adding to the overall emotional resonance of the story.

Overall, The Letters is a must-watch for anyone interested in the life and work of Mother Teresa. The movie does justice to the legacy of the Nobel Prize-winning humanitarian, showcasing her selflessness and her unwavering faith in the face of adversity. The film also raises important questions about the role of religion in society, the nature of charity, and the impact of one's actions on the lives of others.

The Letters is a 2015 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 59 minutes. It has received poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.2 and a MetaScore of 25.