Changing Habits

An aspiring artist runs from men as a result of an early life problem that has left her relationship with her father strained. She decides to move into a convent where troubled women receive cheap lodging in exchange for work. She finds a dirty area in the basement where she paints a mural that deals with all of her psychological problems. While some find it gaudy, others such as the mother superior realizes its potential to save the convent which is to be closed. During all this the artist starts a relationship with a man who owns an art supply shop where she shop-lifts her supplies. Written by John Sacksteder

Directed by Lynn Roth, Changing Habits leans on a strong ensemble — Moira Kelly, Taylor Negron, Teri Garr — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about romance titles of 1997.