OSCARS 2020: The Two Popes (2019)

Not that long ago, it seems, I was talking about how reluctant certain parts of the Film Establishment was to accept anything from Netflix. There was quite a lot of debate over whether a movie made for a streaming service, even if it played briefly in theaters first, “counted” as a serious film or not. Now, in 2020, Netflix is all over the Academy Award slate. Seven films from the streaming titan are nominated, including two for Best Picture. If you want a clear view of the corporation's power with Academy voters, look no further than “The Two Popes.” Owing to its soft reviews and general lack of buzz, the film probably wouldn't have gotten any award attention at all if Netflix wasn't so ambitious and so good at campaigning.

In 2005, Pope John Paul II died. In the voting process to find a new pope, the decision seemingly comes down to two: Reformist Jorgue Bergoglio from Argentina and the traditionalist Joseph Ratzinger. Ratzinger would, of course, win the vote and become Pope Benedict XVI. In 2012, Bergoglio has returned to Argentina and is considerably retiring. Benedict, meanwhile, has proven a controversial leader. Most recently, the child molestation scandal has put the Pope's reign under serious scrutiny. Bergoglio and Ratzinger meet in the Pope's private residence to ostensibly discuss his retirement but other topics quickly come up. Benedict and Bergoglio discuss their own pasts as the Pope tries to convince the Archbishop to take his job.

“The Two Popes,” unsurprisingly, mines the political differences between the two men for quite a bit of drama. While meeting at the Pope's private castle, they discuss the issues that people pressed Benedict the most on. (Namely, the role of homosexuals in the church and the sex abuse cover-up.) This serious political element of the story soon turns towards covering the future Pope Francis' past, specifically the guilt he feels over his actions and inaction during the military coup in Argentina in the 1970s. This leads to several lengthy flashbacks, sometimes causing the character to deliver bald-face exposition. This is a little awkward, it must be said.

While “The Two Popes” is clearly a serious film with a lot of very heavy topics on its mind, the movie works best when humanizing its Popes. Pope Benedict is forced to wear a fitness tracker, the old man being told by a chirping voice to get up and walk. The two men are frosty towards each other, until they start to bond over music. If you think seeing Pope Benedict play the piano or talk about the Beatles is surreal, the film does one better by then having him watch his favorite TV show: An apparently real program about a dog who is also a police detective. Later, the future Pope Francis even gets Benedict to eat some pizza. There's definitely some humor in seeing figures as noble and high-in-stature as the popes indulging in such common activities. Yet, when paired with some touchingly direct conversations about the nature of faith, it goes a long way towards making these towering figures into real people.

“The Two Popes” was directed by Fernando Meirelles, one half of the pair that made the critically acclaimed “City of God.” I never have caught up with that modern classic, or any of Meirelles' other films for that matter, but this one gives me a good idea of what they must be like. The film frequently utilizes hand-held camera work and shaky zoom-ins on its performers, attempting to add a documentary-like verisimilitude to the story. Sometimes, the film utilizes far up camera angels, to contrast with the more intimate close-ups on his actors' faces that crop up more frequently. It's pretty evident what Meirelles was trying to do. Obviously, the hope was to take a story mostly composed of two old guys sitting in rooms talking and make it more cinematic.

Considering the content of the film, it's not surprising that “The Two Popes” is largely an actor's film. Anthony Hopkins, who looks shockingly like Pope Benedict with just a little make-up, nicely balances a crotchety sense of authority with a feeling of lost purpose. He's even somewhat gentle and funny, when given the opportunity. Jonathon Pryce has the less obviously showy part as Francis. This works in Pryce's favor, as he's allowed to say a lot with simply his eyes and his posture. Watching these two play off each other is frequently a delight, in the way watching two expert actors do what they do best is.

In the grand scheme of things, especially in a year with so many notable snubs, did “The Two Popes” really deserve three Oscar nominations? Probably not. It's an affable enough film, worth seeing for a few key moments that really entertain. Hopkins and Pryce give lovely performances but neither are so good as to really deserve being singled out, in a year full of many better choices. Still, I'm glad I watched the movie, if only so I can forever have the mental image of Pope Benedict laughing while watching a dog/cop show. (It may not surprise to read that the two Popes' friendship did not end on such a comfortable note in real life. Thus is the magic of Hollywood.) [7/10]