The Two Popes (2019)
Stars: Jonathan Pryce, Anthony Hopkins, Juan Minujin
Runtime: 125 minutes
Synopsis: Behind Vatican walls, the conservative Pope Benedict and the liberal future Pope Francis must find common ground to forge a new path for the Catholic Church.
Performances: 8/10
Screenplay: 5/10
Costumes/Makeup: 7/10
Editing: 4/10
Cinematography: 4/10
Score/Soundtrack: 6/10
Verdict: Nominated for 4 Golden Globes, "The Two Popes" has been one of the biggest surprises of this year's award seasons so far and yet another win in Netflix's books. The film, which stars Jonathan Pryce as Pope Francis and Anthony Hopkins as Pope Benedict, is a dramatization of the latter's last days on the Chair of Saint Peter before his unexpected resignation and passing of the torch to the former.
Directed by Fernando Meirelles, most known for his work on "City of God" back in 2002, the film does present a few interesting elements, especially in the acting field. The two leads, who might I add are perfectly cast, bounce off each other in a way that makes the audience invested in their conversations. One specific exchange they have, which was also their very first one, was for me the highlight of the film as they have a fascinating clash of ideologies in it. The production design was also superb and at times beautiful to look at. I say "at times" because unfortunately, everything else in the movie was kind of a giant mess. I honestly thought at one point that Paul Greengrass, director of films such as "Jason Bourne" or "Green Zone", was behind the camera instead of Fernando Meirelles. the cinematography and editing, by trying to give the film a unique tone, completely took me out of it on more than one occasion as the frequent use of quick cuts and handheld camera work didn't fit at all with the nature of the story told. A story that had some highs, but also quite a bit of lows as well. Between cheesy lines and extended flashbacks, I can't say that I found all of it to be interesting or even necessary.
Overall, "The Two Popes" is the type of movie that could've benefited from a much simpler approach. Despite two fantastic performances, I didn't feel that it reached its full potential, especially in terms of dialogue and presentation.
Directed by Fernando Meirelles, most known for his work on "City of God" back in 2002, the film does present a few interesting elements, especially in the acting field. The two leads, who might I add are perfectly cast, bounce off each other in a way that makes the audience invested in their conversations. One specific exchange they have, which was also their very first one, was for me the highlight of the film as they have a fascinating clash of ideologies in it. The production design was also superb and at times beautiful to look at. I say "at times" because unfortunately, everything else in the movie was kind of a giant mess. I honestly thought at one point that Paul Greengrass, director of films such as "Jason Bourne" or "Green Zone", was behind the camera instead of Fernando Meirelles. the cinematography and editing, by trying to give the film a unique tone, completely took me out of it on more than one occasion as the frequent use of quick cuts and handheld camera work didn't fit at all with the nature of the story told. A story that had some highs, but also quite a bit of lows as well. Between cheesy lines and extended flashbacks, I can't say that I found all of it to be interesting or even necessary.
Overall, "The Two Popes" is the type of movie that could've benefited from a much simpler approach. Despite two fantastic performances, I didn't feel that it reached its full potential, especially in terms of dialogue and presentation.
FINAL GRADE: 5/10
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