Like “Snakes on a Plane” 16 years later, “Nuns on the Run” is one of those movies where the title serves as the pitch — and lets you know almost immediately whether or not it’s going to be your cup of tea. However, as cross-dressing British farces go, “Nuns” is definitely near the top of the heap thanks to the go-for-broke performances of Eric Idle and Robbie Coltrane as Brian Hope and Charlie McManus, two small-time criminals whose botched attempt at betraying their psycho new boss (Robert Patterson), robbing the Triads and fleeing the country causes them to reinvent themselves as Sister Euphemia of the Five Wounds and Sister Inviolata of the Immaculate Conception, the rather unexpected new additions at a local convent. Shenanigans ensue as the duo have to avoid their vengeful boss, the Triads and Brian’s neurotic girlfriend (Camille Coduri), all while passing for females in an all-woman institution. For the record, yes, there is a shower scene involving a bunch of nuns … though, honestly, wouldn’t you have been disappointed if there weren’t? Not surprisingly, this was originally designed to be a mini-Monty Python reunion of sorts, though Michael Palin had to turn down the role that later went to Coltrane due to scheduling conflicts. – IFC Staff
Nuns on the Run
