Holy Smoke! (1999)

5.9R110 minDirector: Jane Campion

1999 film by Jane Campion

Holy Smoke! is a 1999 independent romantic comedy drama film directed by Jane Campion, and starring Kate Winslet and Harvey Keitel. The plot follows an American exit counselor (Keitel) who attempts to deprogram a young Australian woman (Winslet) who has been indoctrinated into a new age cult in India. Julie Hamilton, Tim Robertson, Daniel Wyllie, and Pam Grier appear in supporting roles.

Director Jane Campion wrote the screenplay for the film with her sister, Anna Campion. The film was a co-production between Australia and the United States. The film premiered at the 56th Venice International Film Festival and was shown at the New York Film Festival and the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival before being released theatrically.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is Holy Smoke! about?
Holy Smoke! (1999) — While on a journey of discovery in exotic India, beautiful young Ruth Barron falls under the influence of a charismatic religious guru. Her desperate parents then hire P.J. Waters, a macho cult de-programmer who confronts Ruth in a remote desert hideaway. But P.J. quickly learns
Is Holy Smoke! based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is Holy Smoke! scary?
Content rating: R. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.