Next to tackle is The Two Popes, starring Sir Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce and Juan Minujin, and directed by Fernando Meirelles. The film was produced and released by Netflix, where it can be found at time of writing. The story begins as Cardinal Bergoglio (Pryce) seeks Pope Benedict’s (Hopkins) approval to resign, being disillusioned with the direction of the church; the Pope instead confides that he seeks resignation instead. While brilliantly acted and lovingly directed, the script meanders a bit and production ultimately limits the film from being little more than a showcase of exceptional performances.
I was drawn to the movie as I always enjoy Anthony Hopkins’ performances; he continues to be as riveting as ever, especially as Dr. Robert Ford in HBO’s Westworld. I’ve also always enjoyed a dramatic piece that can delve into the esoteric, such as John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt or Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen. This film proved to be a bit more approachable than films like Doubt, but I would argue to its detriment at times.
There’s not more to say about the plot outside of my earlier synopsis; there is much more to say about the exposition the story uses as escalation of conflict. As these men discuss the right path forward for the church, they quickly move away from discussion of ideology and move into personal experiences and fallacies, reasons of why their failures hold them back. For Cardinal Bergoglio, his past is explored deeply, to the point where two dramatic devices are used; one is flashback, the other allegory. For both, Juan Minujin steps up to portray the younger Bergoglio, and to great effect. He’s captivating on the screen, especially as Bergoglio is tested during revolution and times of unrest. The usage of allegory is abrupt, unexplained, and beautiful at times; but I found it to be a bit jarring except for a sequence where a more resigned Bergoglio is explaining to his congregation that even priests have trouble at times with hearing the Word.
The acting is exceptional, and no higher praise can be said of Pryce in his portrayal of Bergoglio. He’s actively listening, a talent that few people can demonstrate on camera, let alone on set. He also has the charisma required for the role of the future Pope which so many in the world have embraced. Anthony Hopkins is tuned in and turning out an reliable, remarkable performance in his portrayal of Benedict. With his precision of script, he makes the words feel like his own, and even monologues come through natural.
The photography is beautiful, well framed and well executed; its inconsistency in style is detrimental. There are interesting shots that pull you out of the moment and make things feel weird for no good reason, such as the inexplicable shaky cam during the shared scene at the piano, or the transition from inside to outside the helicopter to signal the end of a conversation which had already been indicated by the action. This isn’t to blame the editing, which I did find to have purpose; the black and white 4:3 segments indicating to audiences the past life of Bergoglio before committing to the church, the audio mixing when the Cardinal hears a confession later on. The usage of existing footage, matching new footage to mimic news reports, and other sneaky editing tricks worked very well! It seems that lots of chances were taken with photography for the sake of taking chances, rather than having a real purpose outside of style.
The script is surprisingly funny. Maybe that’s because I was expecting something more intense like Doubt, heavy hitting actors like Meryl and Hoffman duking it out over the truth they hold to be evident. However, the humor works well for both of these men as they wrestle with the idea of having two Popes in the world at once. Rather, the script could have cut about two or three monologues where it finally starts to lose steam, and the film would have benefitted greatly. These two are fantastic when talking to each other, and the late half of the film kept on taking those memorable moments away. The credits sequence as the two watch soccer together is a tantalizing example of what could’ve been.
I’m happy to have watched it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I’d probably watch it again, but not immediately. It’s great for an acting demonstration or a genial, positive film which has its heavier moments: it’s not groundbreaking cinema. If this was adapted as a play, I would pay a good amount of money to see it live.
Rating 4/5
Enjoyed it, and would probably watch again.
This review is part of the CoronaReviews, a series of quick reviews I’m going to write to stay sane while I wait for the COVID-19 shutdowns to end. I’ve got a long list of films I desperately need to catch up on, but if you have suggestions or commentary, comment below! I’d love to discuss it with you so I don’t lose my mind here by myself.