Direction: Fernando Meirelles
Country: UK / Italy / Other
In the agreeably conversational The Two Popes, Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles does a much quieter and static job than when portraying the slums of Rio de Janeiro in his masterpiece City of God (2002). However, his notable directorial work in this biographical dramatization bears no less responsibility since the film exclusively relies on the dialogue between two very different men of faith. Quick flashbacks also exist, yet they were never an added value to the impeccable writing material provided by Anthony McCarten (The Theory of Everything; Darkest Hour), who adapted his own 2017 play The Pope.
With the capacity of conquering more and more our interest as it moves forward, The Two Popes relies on outstanding performances from Anthony Hopkins as Pope Benedict XVI and Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, now Pope Francis. Despite their discrepant personalities and vision, these men were able to open up with each other and discuss complex topics related to the Church as an institution, including some well-known Vatican scandals. They do it with honorable mutual respect and deep understanding. This posture should serve as an example for all the narrow-minded rulers of our tumultuous times.
The picture reconstructs not only how the most recent papal succession took place, but also the beautiful and solid friendship established between the two popes. It was lovely to see how the visibly tired and lonely German-born Benedict, far more conservative in his approach to life and consequently lacking the openness and clarity the Catholic Church needs today, became receptive to the candid ideals of Bergoglio, a popular Argentine ecclesiastic with a casual, friendly posture, wide sense of humor, and love for soccer, pizza and tango.
The confessions are the most powerful moments of the film, the trust is unbreakable, and I like to think that a divine hand was involved in this succession, ensuring a better future for the Catholic Church.
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