Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit

Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit is a 1993 American musical comedy film loosely based on the life of Crenshaw High School choir instructor Iris Stevenson, and starring Whoopi Goldberg. Directed by Bill Duke, and released by Touchstone Pictures, it is the sequel to the successful 1992 film Sister Act. Most of the original cast reprise their roles in the sequel, including Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy, Wendy Makkena, and Mary Wickes.[4][5]

Plot
Deloris van Cartier (Whoopi Goldberg) has become a famous performer in Las Vegas since her time posing as a nun to hide from the mob. During her latest performance, she reunites with her friends, Sisters Mary Patrick (Kathy Najimy), Mary Robert (Wendy Makkena), and Mary Lazarus (Mary Wickes). They ask for her help, reuniting her with Reverend Mother (Maggie Smith), who explains that the convent nuns now work as teachers at the St. Francis Academy in San Francisco, which Deloris attended as a child. The school faces closure at hands of its administrator, Mr. Crisp (James Coburn), unless the school’s reputation can be improved. The nuns ask Deloris to reprise her person a as Sister Mary Clarence (Goldberg) and become the new music teacher. Deloris reluctantly agrees.

At the school, Mary Clarence meets the school’s staff of monks, led by the humble but inept Father Maurice (Barnard Hughes). She attends her first music class, meeting the rowdy teenagers, who are merely there to “pass” just by attending classes. Mary Clarence butts heads with the ringleader, Rita Louise Watson (Lauryn Hill), who walks out when Mary Clarence introduces a firmer hand in class. The other students stay to avoid failure. When they break into spontaneous, synchronised singing, Mary Clarence decides to turn them into a choir, which the students at first object to.

Mary Robert overhears Rita singing, and Mary Clarence convinces her to return to the class. The class and nuns restore the school’s decrepit music room and practice extensively, later performing "Oh, Happy Day" before the whole school, led by the preachy but talented vocalist Ahmal (Ryan Toby). The nuns discover numerous trophies, revealing the school won the All-State Choir Championship in the past, and decide to enter the choir once again. Father Maurice gives his blessing to the choir’s entry, as long as they raise the money themselves and each student obtains parental consent to attend.

However, Rita’s strict but well-meaning mother Florence (Sheryl Lee Ralph) refuses to let her daughter attend, believing a musical career is a dead end after her husband died trying to make a name for himself. However, Rita forges her mother’s signature to go on the trip, but leaves an apology note for her, prompting Florence to drive to Hollywood to see the competition for herself. Mr. Crisp recognises Mary Clarence as Deloris and warns Father Maurice of the sham, but the choir has already left for the competition. The monks pile into their old van and race to confront Mary Clarence.

Backstage at the competition, the choir are intimidated by the seasoned veterans and consider quitting, but Mary Clarence’s commitment inspires them to carry on. The monks arrive, and after Father Maurice decides to support the choir upon seeing their change in enthusiasm, the other monks trap Mr. Crisp in a closet to prevent him from interfering with Mary Clarence. The choir takes to the stage, Rita performing a solo before the choir perform an urban contemporary gospel rendition of “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”, with hip hop-inspired choreography.

The choir wins the competition. The school’s local diocese, impressed with the performance, agree to keep the school open and give the freed Crisp a promotion, Reverend Mother claiming that he came up with the idea for the school choir to begin with. Rita and Florence make amends, while the choir learns that Mary Clarence is actually a singer. They ask her if she is a Las Vegas showgirl, to which Mary Clarence claims she has never been such, but is a “headliner”.

The film closes with the choir and their teachers performing “Ain't No Mountain High Enough.”

Cast

 * Whoopi Goldberg – Deloris Van Cartier/Sister Mary Clarence
 * Kathy Najimy – Sister Mary Patrick
 * Barnard Hughes – Father Maurice
 * Mary Wickes – Sister Mary Lazarus
 * James Coburn – Mr. Crisp
 * Michael Jeter – Father Ignatius
 * Wendy Makkena – Sister Mary Robert
 * Sheryl Lee Ralph – Florence Watson
 * Robert Pastorelli – Joey Bustamente
 * Thomas Gottschalk – Father Wolfgang
 * Maggie Smith – Reverend Mother
 * Lauryn Hill – Rita Louise Watson
 * Brad Sullivan – Father Thomas
 * Alanna Ubach – Maria
 * Ryan Toby – Ahmal
 * Ron Johnson – Sketch
 * Tyse Saffuri – Choir Member
 * Jennifer Love Hewitt – Margaret
 * Devin Kamin – Frankie
 * Christian Fitzharris – Tyler Chase
 * Tanya Blount – Tanya
 * Mehran Marcos Sedghi – Marcos
 * Erica Atkins – Competing Choir
 * Deondray Gossett – Classroom Kid
 * Monica Calhoun – Classroom Kid
 * Deedee Magno – Classroom Kid
 * Valeria Andrews – Classroom Kid
 * Riley Weston – Classroom Kid
 * Pat Crawford Brown – Choir Nun
 * Sheri Cladd – Uncredited Nun

Critical response
The film earned a 7% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 28 reviews, with an average rating of 3/10.[6] Despite the negative response, Goldberg was nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance.[7]

Box office
Although not as successful as Sister Act, the film grossed over $57 million in the United States, against a $38 million budget.[8]

Soundtrack
The soundtrack album was released on November 23, 1993 by Hollywood Records, it reached #74 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart[9] and #40 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[10] charts and received a Gold certification from the RIAA for shipment of 500,000 copies on March 26, 1996.[11] The finale performance of "Joyful Joyful" was produced and arranged by Mervyn Warren, noted Jazz and gospel musician who is best known as an original member of a cappella vocal group Take 6.
 * 1) Greatest Medley Ever Told – Whoopi Goldberg & The Ronelles
 * 2) Never Should've Let You Go – Hi-Five
 * 3) Get Up Offa That Thing/Dancing in the Street – Whoopi Goldberg
 * 4) Oh Happy Day – St. Francis Choir featuring Ryan Toby
 * 5) Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today) – Whoopi Goldberg & the Sisters
 * 6) His Eye Is on the Sparrow – Tanya Blount & Lauryn Hill
 * 7) A Deeper Love – Aretha Franklin & Lisa Fischer
 * 8) Wandering Eyes – Nuttin' Nyce
 * 9) Pay Attention – Valeria Andrews & Ryan Toby
 * 10) Ode to Joy – Chapman College Choir
 * 11) Joyful, Joyful – St. Francis Choir featuring Lauryn Hill
 * 12) Ain't No Mountain High Enough – Whoopi Goldberg & Cast

DVD and Blu-ray releases
The all-region Blu-ray, including both Sister Act and Sister Act: Back in the Habit, was released on June 19, 2012 with both films presented in 1080p. The 3-disc set also includes both films on DVD with the same bonus features as previous releases.[12]

Sequel
When asked in 2013 about acting in a sequel, Whoopi Goldberg initially refused,[13] but by 2015 changed her stance to a maybe.[14]After a Broad City cameo, in 2016 Whoopi expressed doubts about a sequel based on missing cast members, but said she thought it would be fun and likeable.[15] In May 2017, she affirmed her desire for the third film to happen,[16] adding in July that she would like to direct it and had confidence it would be made.[17] On December 7, 2018, it was confirmed that Regina Y. Hicks and Karin Gist were hired to write the script to Sister Act 3 for a release on Disney+.[18]