Director: Alejandro Gomez Monteverde 

Release Date: March 8, 2024 

MPAA Rating: PG-13 

Starring: Cristiana Dell’Anna, David Morse, John Lithgow, Virginia Bocelli, Giancarlo Giannini, Federico Castelluccio, Romana Maggiora Vergano, and more. 

Our Rating: A- 

Families, teenagers and even nuns are flocking to movie theaters in order to witness the inspirational biography of America’s first Catholic saint. Alejandro Gomez Monterverde’s “Cabrini” takes the audience through the poorest slums and the highest of places in the late 19th century. Relating themes of compassion, love and mercy, “Cabrini” exhibits a universal message that touches hearts. 

The movie’s setting begins in Italy, introducing a humble, Italian nun known as Mother Cabrini with aspirations of spreading her mission throughout the world to help those in need. Advocating her message to the pope, Cabrini finds herself traveling to New York City by sea to fulfill her mission. Cabrini and her religious sisters settle in Five Points, one of the Italian ethnic communities within the city. 

“[Cabrini] was a great movie that was cleverly executed. The messages of hope and charity were prominent in the film and helped me see the poverty and discrimination faced by early Italian immigrants. It was enough to inspire me to try and reflect on what I do and have done for the poor in my city,” senior Emmanuel Lopez said. 

The initial scenes of Cabrini and her religious sisters in Five Points evoke a tense and punishing atmosphere. Early on, they are faced with confrontation from white Americans and even the Italian immigrants themselves. The movie uniquely shows how Cabrini’s tender attitude gradually evolves into a fervent one; her experiences lead her to dedicate her life to mending the horrors and internal brokenness of the city. 

After receiving support from the archbishop, Cabrini and her religious sisters work on renovating an abandoned orphanage and picking Italian children off the streets. In stunning close-up scenes, however, Cabrini often experiences compelling inner conflict because she knows her efforts are radical. 

“I would recommend the movie to everyone, because it is also about standing up for yourself, your goals and not letting anything get in your way,” junior Sebastian Lopez said. 

Throughout the film, Mother Cabrini is depicted as a hard-working individual, making her character a likable one. Her words are often powerful, but kind hearted. “Cabrini” follows a hero’s journey to make the world a better place.  

Eventually, the story reaches the ultimate conflict between Cabrini’s efforts and the city of New York. Upon establishing her orphanage “Holy Angels”, it was relocated because of housing issues. Cabrini faces several other conflicts with the city, most notably the time when she was arrested. 

“[The movie] was definitely pushing for civil rights and gender equality in a Catholic way. I would say it was a good depiction of Mother Cabrini’s life, but it had some holes like her early life and her relationship with God and spirituality. I would recommend this movie, because it’s an interesting watch and has some positive themes, but it was definitely more of a display of her life than a substantial deep dive,” senior Monica Santamaria said. 

Communicating her unwavering personality, Christina Dell’Anna portrays Cabrini by raising her voice and communicating a sincere body language in crucial scenes. However, the depiction of Mother Cabrini as a relentless, feminist character may have been far-fetched, as her character may have slightly differed in real-life. Although Cabrini pushed for change, her way of expressing her thoughts may not have been as aggressive as the film portrays. 

“The themes that stood out in the movie were [Cabrini’s] unselfishness and love for all the children on the streets. The movie depicted her life pretty well, obviously taking some liberties but overall it depicted her character very well,” junior Sebastian Lopez said.

Giving the audience a sense of empathy for immigrants’ sacrifices to live in the United States, “Cabrini” fosters our connection to these people as well as the advocates who paved the way for a better life. Through Mother Cabrini’s character, the movie shines a spotlight on the hardships of late 19th and early 20th century United States immigrants. 

Mother Cabrini’s tale relays her message of compassion, mercy and love. Showing us vital truths about our ability to help one another, the film propounds a heart-warming theme to every viewer. 

Mother Cabrini is also known as Frances Xavier Cabrini. To investigate her biography, click here.