Wiseman's tempered contemplation of micro-cultures is fully realized in this detailed observance of the communal life of a Benedictine monastery. Still early in his career, he begins allowing the human drama to play out in longer takes— immersing the audience into the monks' private, unguarded moments of prayer, healing, discussion and group therapy. The viewer is given a sacred permission slip into a relatively liberal, spiritual society bound by obscure rules. Compared to the public institutions in the Wiseman oeuvre, the conflicts that arise here feel quieter, more intellectual and granted the luxury of time and space for thorough examination. – BG