Reviews & Ratings for
The Two Popes (2019)

God speaks to us in mysterious ways. This is what struck me as a revelation, when I saw the movie, " The two Popes" yesterday on Netflix. I had heard much about the movie to intrigue me and pique my curiosity, but somehow was put off by what I thought would be a theological debate. I confess, I couldn't have been more wrong. It was a delightful and gripping story about two men at diverse ends of the ideological spectrum and how circumstances and a chance meeting make them into firm friends . The initial kowtowing to protocol soon dissipates into a sparkling repartee and gives us glimpses into the human side of those whom we believe are His representatives on earth. Most of the film is in Spanish or Latin, subtitled and makes generous use of the flashback to move the story ahead. It shows us the motivations as well as the challenges, that attract and cause doubts in equal measure, by what Marx termed as the opium of the masses, shows us the passions, so much like our own, of those we put on a pedestal and venerate as divinity. The excellent direction, aided by two exceptional actors and masters of their craft, Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce draw us into a birds eye view of one of the most closely guarded and mysterious workings of one of the most influential organizations of the world , the Catholic Church whose temporal influence far exceeds it's territorial size of the smallest country in the world.It takes us behind the scenes of the tumultuous events that led to the abdication of Pope Benedict and the installation of Pope Francis as the Bishop of Rome. Whilst Pope Francis, an outsider and the first Jesuit to head the Holy See, is arguably the most likeable pontiff and hugely popular with the masses, seeking to revolutionize the church and bringing a human touch to an institution that was seen as both distant and aloof, stuck in a time warp, out of touch with the pulse of the common people ; the previous Pope, Benedict symbolized the orthodoxy and was known as God's Rottweiler for his adherence to theology. He seems easy to dislike, but the portrayal by Hopkins, endears him to you with his human frailties and mental conflict, so that towards the end you seem slightly wistful and sad to see him go. The actors feed off each other and the initial formality gives way to a delightful camaraderie and humor between ideological opponents that transforms into a friendship that is close enough to entrust each other with their innermost secrets. The movie brings out the conflicts, challenges, compromises and change that are at the altar of the Catholic Church today and it holds a mirror to our fragmented society today and hope for the future. A must watch for people of all denominations, believers and atheists, topical and timely, spreading the message of love to overcome hate in these turbulent times.
Deus caritas est (God is love)