The Two Popes Movie Review
I have a confession: I was raised Catholic and this is a major reason why I saw The Two Popes. The second major reason I saw this movie is because it was nominated for several Golden Globes and a few Oscars. Now you know my ulterior motives so we can proceed.
The Two Popes aims to lift the veil on The Vatican and the papacy. In particular, it aims to give you some insight into Pope Benedict and his successor, Pope Francis. This movie is what I would classify as a character study. Not a lot happens in terms of plot and there isn’t a whole lot of action. Most of the film centers on dialogue as we eavesdrop on difficult conversations between these two men.
The difficult conversations stem from an extreme difference of opinion about the church and life in general. Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) is rigid and has an “old school” way of thinking about Catholicism. The stricter the better. I envision he would support the image of nuns hitting students on the knuckles with a ruler. Pope Francis (Jonathan Pryce) is a tad more lenient. He wants the Catholic faith to change as the world changes. He sees its rigidity as its downfall.
What I enjoyed most was watching two men who disagreed with each other on basically every level clash over and over again. Somewhere along the way, the two men gain a certain level of admiration and respect for each other. Although they disagree on their beliefs about how to run the church, they come to an understanding of each other.
Hopkins and Pryce are phenomenal. I’m not sure anyone else could play Benedict so convincingly or elicit so much empathy for a man who I was not particularly fond of. Pryce deserves just as much praise for his role as Francis. He had an easier job, being the more likeable of the two men but his performance is still one of his best. This slow, character study was packed with fantastic dialogue and a message about human connection at its center. It was one of my surprise favorites of the year.
Does Catholicism still have a lot of problems and things that I do not agree with? Definitely. (Do I need to remind anyone of Spotlight?) But if the theme of The Two Popes is human connection and the need for compassion, then I guess I can get on board. In the words of one Maya Angelou, “We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.” It’s good to be reminded of that every now and again.
Film or Movie: Film
You’ll like this film if:
1. You’re interested in religion, particularly Catholicism
2. You enjoy character studies
3. You want to see beautiful scenery
