Movie Review: 'The Two Popes' is Netflix's Overlooked Triumph

There have been only three Popes in my lifetime and only one of them has been slightly relevant to my life. Pope Francis, the modern Pope, has held me in thrall on a few occasions, specifically during his first days on Twitter when he was charming the world. And then, in the documentary about his time as Pope and how he was dragging the Catholic church out of the dark ages with one modern touch after another.

The relevance of Pope Francis shines again in the new Fernando Meirelles drama The Two Popes which debuts on Netflix December 20th, 2019. Once again, Francis is a figure of remarkable charm. As played by the wonderfully understated Jonathan Pryce, Francis is both a figure of modern thoughtfulness and old school faith. He’s a Pope capable of carrying on traditions while challenging norms and the movie gives us a wonderful sense of his life.

The Two Popes stars Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, a colorful and controversial character in the Catholic Church hierarchy. Cardinal Bergoglio has drawn the ire of some in the Vatican City by choosing not to live in the lavish quarters his position affords him but rather in a modest slum, closer to his church and his people. Cardinal Bergoglio is a reformer whose given communion to unwed mothers and divorcees and offered counsel to members of the LGBTQ community.

Cardinal Bergoglio’s liberal approach to the Church is a bafflement and trigger to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Anthony Hopkins) who can’t stand Cardinal Bergoglio. When Pope John Paul the 2nd passes away and Bergoglio earns votes from fellow Cardinals as a potential successor, Ratzinger is downright vindictive. On the next vote, Ratzinger is elected as Pope Benedict the 16th and continues the rightward leaning of the Church, away from the liberalizing influence of Bergoglio.

5 years on however, Pope Benedict can feel the world shifting beneath him. A scandal has engulfed his Papacy and his health is deteriorating. More and more the College of Cardinals have been leaning away from his conservative approach, eager to get distance from his scandals and that of the church's past abuses. Facing the end of his time as Pope, Benedict makes the decision to summon Cardinal Bergoglio to Rome.

The timing for Bergoglio could not be more perfect. Cardinal Bergoglio is eager to retire from the Church but cannot do so without the blessing of the Pope. Cardinal Bergoglio plans to turn in his retirement papers while in Rome and prepares for life after the church. Life is funny that way, while you’re making one plan, the world is conspiring to take you somewhere else. While Bergoglio thinks he is there to retire, he’s actually in for the job interview of a lifetime.

Jonathan Pryce is an underappreciated actor whose face everyone knows but whose name escapes most audiences. It’s wonderful to see Pryce get the chance to play a very unique leading role in The Two Popes. Watching Pryce flex his charm opposite the curmudgeonly performance of Anthony Hopkins, is a true wonder. These two veterans were made for each other and their back and forth is exciting and invigorating than most action movies I have seen in 2019.

Fernando Meirelles is a fascinating director, a visual dynamo who retains a strong ear for dialogue. Meirelles is a dynamic storyteller with a precise notion of plotting a story. Here, the entire story is about dialogue and conflicting ways of seeing the world and yet, Meirelles makes this conflict as lively and exciting as anything in the superhero or sci-fi genre. Meirelles’ conceptions of Francis and Benedict may be whole cloth inventions but they are exciting nevertheless.

Of course, much credit goes to screenwriter Anthony McCarten who adapted his own stage play, The Two Popes, for this Netflix original drama. McCarten and Meirelles make a marvelous team with Meirelles bringing opulent, dynamic and graceful life to McCarten’s witty, thoughtful and challenging conversations between men of character and deeply held conviction. The story is extraordinarily fair to both the beloved Francis and reviled Benedict and the balance works, even as putting such a polish on Benedict’s reputation is rather problematic.

The Two Popes is an invigorating drama that bubbles with life and fascination. I adore the conversations imagined between these two men, the ways that they aggravated each other and found common ground. I loved how the friendship between them organically builds toward becoming the heart of the movie. And I especially loved how such a talk heavy movie still manages to feel lively and dynamic.

The Two Popes is one of the best of 2019.