The Two Popes (2019) - Movie review

Director: Fernando Meirelles

Screenplay: Anthony McCarten

Primary cast: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce

Production: Netflix

Runtime: 2 hours, 5 minutes

This movie might've been an odd choice to start off 2020 with. We just cooked lunch and were scrolling through Netflix's bountiful offering of content when Nikhila's eyes fell on this movie. We had watched the trailer earlier and were mildly intrigued, mainly because of Mr. Hopkins - he has a charisma that is magnetic, a voice that is captivating and a demeanour that is mesmerising. So when Nikhila suggested if I wanted to watch this, I said yes before (as it often happens while browsing Netflix) I could change my own mind.

The movie, an adaptation of a play written by Anthony McCarten, mainly dwells on conversations between the conservative Pope Benedict (Hopkins) and the liberal future Pope Francis (Pryce). Inspired by true events, the movie is a documentation of the conversations between these two gentlemen over the years, starting from the brief washroom chat they have before Pope Benedict was elected the Big Daddy of all Catholics back in 2005 to the time Francis gets the Hat in 2013. The movie touches upon the controversies that plagued (plagues) the Catholic church including sexual abuse of minors, corruption in the Vatican Bank and how the Church's conservatism was driving more and more of the 'flock' away.

If you were expecting a movie that takes you through a web of Vatican politics, backstabbing, conspiracies and dramatic confrontations, you will be disappointed. This movie almost seems like it has been sponsored by the Catholic church, justifying its shift from a strict orthodoxy to, well, a slightly palatable unorthodoxy. Don't get me wrong, the scenes between Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce are really fun to watch. The dialogues are engaging and Meirelles ensured both men flexed their brand of acting chops liberally. There are moments of unexpected humour that bring a smile to your face (don't miss the end credits) and successfully ensures that a conversation between two old men does not become dreary and monotonous. A lot of credit lies with both the directors and the actors for this. But the flashback scenes showcasing Pope Francis's Argentinian past somehow did not do a good job of translating the emotional heft that was expected from a story like that and I must confess, I was almost nodding off during this part (although the cause for this could also be the hearty lunch I just had).

All in all, this is exactly the kind of movie you would want to watch on a lazy afternoon. Its beauty lies in its simplicity and in the effortless performances of the primary cast. Watch it for the acting, there is no other message to take home from this movie.