When you hear “A comedy about two Popes,” it sounds like the setup to a bad joke. Yet somehow, Fernando Meirelles (City of God) pulls off a film that is lighter and funnier than you might expect.
Two Men, Two Visions
At the center of The Two Popes are two performances that keep you glued to the screen. Anthony Hopkins plays Pope Benedict XVI with quiet sharpness. Jonathan Pryce is Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, full of warmth and self-doubt. Their scenes together are like two seasoned boxers dancing around each other, trading blows without ever really trying to knock the other down.
The story focuses on their long conversations about the future of the Church, but it also leaves room for pizza, football, and a little bit of pop music. Yes, there is a scene with “Dancing Queen” playing, and yes, it is weirdly charming.
Great Acting Saves a Wobbly Story
Hopkins and Pryce do most of the heavy lifting. Without them, the movie would fall apart quickly. Some of the choices made by the director feel out of place. One minute it looks like a documentary, the next minute you are watching a polished Netflix drama. The mix can be confusing and takes you out of the story at times.
The movie also rushes through the serious stuff. The Church’s scandals are mentioned, but the film never really deals with them. It feels like the filmmakers wanted to keep things light, even when the truth is dark and heavy.
It Has Heart, Even if It Pulls Its Punches
If you expect a deep dive into corruption, you will be disappointed. This is not that movie. The Two Popes is more about two old men finding friendship and forgiveness. It feels personal and small, not world-shaking.
Still, when the two men sit and talk, the movie finds real magic. Their arguments about tradition, change, and mercy feel honest. At its best, the film is not about Popes at all, but about how hard it is for any person to admit they were wrong.
Final Thoughts: A Good, Not Great Movie
The Two Popes is an easy movie to like, even if it leaves you wanting more. It has moments of humor, warmth, and real feeling, but it also plays it too safe. In the end, it is like sharing a pizza with an old friend when you really should have been having a hard talk instead.
