Tweet
Any movie that has the Catholic Church as a backdrop, or part of the plot, inevitably gets enough fine details wrong that any Catholic can spot from a mile away, and it spoils the mood of said movies. Either the priest is speaking in Latin (hasn't happened since the sixties except in a very few rebel places), or there's a crucifix over the altar without Jesus on it (very uncommon), the crowd is waving their arms like they're at a revival (never happens), etc. I've only ever seen a couple movies that really seem to get the Church's settings correct: The Sound of Music, and this one -- although I think it can be said for certain that no Catholic cathedral ever had a chorus of nuns singing "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria" during a wedding, so maybe The Sound of Music wasn't so authentic after all.
Anyway, at the beginning of this movie, the current pope passes away. This sets in motion the church's process of selecting a new pope, called a conclave. The movie shines a light on the process and the people involved. Not in a mocking or silly way, which I was ready for, but in a respectful way. There is a very exact set of procedures, dating back hundreds if not thousands of years, that are followed in selecting a new pope. While getting a little more dramatic than necessary in spots, this film seems to nail it all pretty well.
The film makers take the conclave process and toss in every type of problem that could possibly arise, both with the candidates for pope, and the environment they're all sequestered in. The story follows four or five potential pontiffs and the pros and cons of each, and the machinations some go through to get (or not get) the job. Of course each of those candidates has some reason for wanting, not wanting, deserving or not deserving, the job. Decisions have to be made as to whether to bend the rules a bit, conform to modern times, etc. There is a surprising twist at the end, which I won't reveal beyond saying it's highly improbable -- but this isn't a documentary by any means. The ending is kind of sudden and feels chopped off, and although you've seen all you need to see, you're still left with a "really? Just like that?" feeling. Or at least I was.
The underlying premise is that all of the people involved in any church, from the pope right on down, are still human beings, complete with failings, doubts, desires, insecurities and flaws, even though (in the case of ministerial folks) they are expected to be free of any of those defects. The point is made that in any position of power, the best person for the job could be someone who doesn't want the job, which is a good point I'd never really thought about before.
The marketing for this movie made it seem like a thriller, but it's not that at all. There is suspense to be sure, but not the kind you get from a regular thriller. Some people may feel a little misled, and any non-Catholics could be bored or confused. A little pre-show reading on the conclave process before seeing the movie would be helpful, although not really necessary.
The acting is outstanding by everyone involved. The cinematography is outstanding, although I wish I'd seen it in a theater with better contrast. (We were at a convention in Rapid City, SD and saw it at the Golden Ticket Cinema, which I think is a former Carmike.) The presentation was good, overall. The sound was very good. The room lighting was too bright during the show, but not enough to be a real distraction once we got into the story.
3.75 out of four stars from me. My wife, who is not Catholic, enjoyed it too.
Anyway, at the beginning of this movie, the current pope passes away. This sets in motion the church's process of selecting a new pope, called a conclave. The movie shines a light on the process and the people involved. Not in a mocking or silly way, which I was ready for, but in a respectful way. There is a very exact set of procedures, dating back hundreds if not thousands of years, that are followed in selecting a new pope. While getting a little more dramatic than necessary in spots, this film seems to nail it all pretty well.
The film makers take the conclave process and toss in every type of problem that could possibly arise, both with the candidates for pope, and the environment they're all sequestered in. The story follows four or five potential pontiffs and the pros and cons of each, and the machinations some go through to get (or not get) the job. Of course each of those candidates has some reason for wanting, not wanting, deserving or not deserving, the job. Decisions have to be made as to whether to bend the rules a bit, conform to modern times, etc. There is a surprising twist at the end, which I won't reveal beyond saying it's highly improbable -- but this isn't a documentary by any means. The ending is kind of sudden and feels chopped off, and although you've seen all you need to see, you're still left with a "really? Just like that?" feeling. Or at least I was.
The underlying premise is that all of the people involved in any church, from the pope right on down, are still human beings, complete with failings, doubts, desires, insecurities and flaws, even though (in the case of ministerial folks) they are expected to be free of any of those defects. The point is made that in any position of power, the best person for the job could be someone who doesn't want the job, which is a good point I'd never really thought about before.
The marketing for this movie made it seem like a thriller, but it's not that at all. There is suspense to be sure, but not the kind you get from a regular thriller. Some people may feel a little misled, and any non-Catholics could be bored or confused. A little pre-show reading on the conclave process before seeing the movie would be helpful, although not really necessary.
The acting is outstanding by everyone involved. The cinematography is outstanding, although I wish I'd seen it in a theater with better contrast. (We were at a convention in Rapid City, SD and saw it at the Golden Ticket Cinema, which I think is a former Carmike.) The presentation was good, overall. The sound was very good. The room lighting was too bright during the show, but not enough to be a real distraction once we got into the story.
3.75 out of four stars from me. My wife, who is not Catholic, enjoyed it too.
Comment