The Two Popes (2019)
7.9
An insightful peek into the papacy led by equally compelling performances
Movie
Italy, UK
English, French, German
Drama, History
2019
FERNANDO MEIRELLES
Achille Brugnini, Alessandro Piavani, Anthony Hopkins
125 min
TLDR
This movie almost made me religious again, it’s that good.
What it's about
When Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) asks permission to resign, Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins) asks him to reconsider as he shares his own feelings about the latest scandal to hit the Vatican.
The take
You wouldn’t expect two old men discussing God and politics to be deeply intriguing, but I suppose it’s different when you have Hopkins and Pryce leading the whole thing. Nothing overly dramatic happens between the two (those parts are saved for the flashbacks, which are just as compelling), but they manage to make every discussion, every point, and even every word feel heavy with the weight of their guilt and hope. These two are proof that good acting can be carried by the tiniest lilt in tone and shift in gesture. You don’t have to be a Catholic or be interested in God at all to appreciate the great performance and touching vulnerability at the heart of The Two Popes.
What stands out
It’s always nice to see the humanity behind something as grand and as ornate as the papacy.
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P
Punit
Nice movie
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