Let's be realistic.

brilliant actors, brilliant editing

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

It is tempting to criticize it. and real easy. because each viewer has his perspective about Therese Martin. and , at first sigh, Lindsay Younce is far to be the perfect choice for the lead role. but... . the film has few significant virtues. the first - the atmosphere of Martin family. and the flavour of French XIX century. and, sure, the life of convent. for a not believer, it could seems be too sweet and pink and conventional. for a Greek - Orthodox like me, correct translation on screen of the biography of one of the most loved saints of Romano-Catholic Church. in fact, it is a beautiful portrait. moving hommage. for many reasons. one of them - the performance of Leonardo Defilippis in the role of Louis Martin.

"Therese" is an amateurish film. Not just the acting or the dialogue, but also the make-up, hair, costumes and sets felt less like a theatrical film and more like a high school production by folks trying to present spiritual themes to an unsophisticated audience.There are many better films about religion out there. I strongly recommend "Into Great Silence," a recent documentary about Carthusian monks, "The Greatest Story Ever Told," about the life of Christ, or "Passion of the Christ" for viewers who can handle that film's violence.St. Therese de Lisieux has had a profound effect on the lives of millions, and she deserves a better movie than this. Until that movie is made, read her book, "The Story of a Soul."

When I first started watching this movie I was a little disappointed at the extremely pious tone. I had read "Story of a Soul" years ago and loved the book but had not studied much about St. Therese in several years. The more I watched it, however, it really moved me in profound way so that at the end I was weeping uncontrollably. I showed it to my husband and children (daughters 6 and 9) and they loved it. I have now seen it several times and I see something new in each viewing. It is a movie that has a very very spiritual message, and if you're not in tune with spiritual messages at this stage in your life, you will not be touched. (A Catholic upbringing will certainly help the film resonate with the viewer.)If you are open to having a movie bring you closer to Jesus, this film will do it.

Last weekend I rented this DVD from Blockbuster. I was excited because recently I made trip to Lisieux, France and rediscovered the beauty of St. Therese there. Her relics and memorial chapel were all beautiful, but it was her sweet presence being so closely felt that touched me. Something clicked deep inside me, and I become fascinated by her life and spirituality ever since. I already had DVD of French movie with same title made in 1986, which I watch with admiration for the director Alain Cavalier and actress Catharine Mouchet. It was such deeply spiritual and artistic gem, made with reverence to the solemn simplicity. So I naturally expected a little different perspective from this 2004 movie. But as I turned on the DVD player, it didn't take too long to get disappointed... as movie was dragging on, the disappointment changed into frustration- and anger. On the DVD case it says the film is being endorsed by Vatican. In terms of culture, when did Catholics become such tasteless creatures? I heard that this Luke film's work was made on donations.. what a waste. 1986's Therese has minimal set design and without any lavish costumes, and virtually no outdoor shootings, but it became a masterpiece. Comparing with it, 'low-budgeted project' cannot be an excuse to justify a less than mediocre movie. I even tried to turn on the french subtitle to desperately search for some kind of genuineness of the story...but it was no use. Actress who played Therese doesn't have any resemblance with Therese and acting was amateurish. It must be the director's fault who failed to capture and convey from the depth of little way of St. Therese. i feel insulted by the film, because I love Therese' life so much and her life was a simple but mysterious union with Jesus in midst of horrendous suffering. Her story should be honored in better work of art, in order to be correctly understood.