Violet Weed
I am soooo glad I didn't pay anything but the eight bucks a month cost of netflix for this piece of garbage. It is an insult to all Believers in God and Jesus Christ, not just an insult to Catholics. I am not a Catholic but I am a 'slain in the spirit' believer. If you are a Believer, one of God's Children, then this 'comedy' (which it is not although described that way) is blasphemous. In the past 45 years I have read / devoured (as twere) many books by Christians and about God and Jesus. Many of those books were written by the Popes. Each Pope has proved to me, by his written words, that he is also Born Again. Would a Cardinal, elected almost unanimously, to be Pope, reject that election? turn his back on God and God's people? I highly doubt it. I am going to lobby to have this movie removed from the 'faith and spirituality' group within Netflix to something 'darker'. It 'could' have been a good movie, but the only 'good' thing about it was getting to see some of Rome again after having been away from Italy for the past 30 odd years. Don't waste your time on this garbage. It's just another attack by the devil as assisted by his minions.
crottymcnaughty
I am a Catholic and this film breaks my heart for the lack in respect some people can have towards a faithful religion such as the Catholic Church. The film leaves no message of hope and contains varied and mixed portrayals of the Catholic Church. In the history of the Church, it has been necessary to use secrecy within its walls, just as most nations do, but to suggest that Cardinals and leaders are simply blind sheep, being strung along by their faith without reason is enough to be mad at this film. The Church leaders are not whimsical or frivolous in nature. Nor are they weak minded, as the film suggests. They may be filled with humility, but they are not weak. Nanni Moretti is bold for making this film. He does, to some extent, capture the grandeur and solemnity of the Vatican and its practices, but then he destroys it by making the cardinals looks like a bunch of drug dependent old fools. I strongly suggest looking else where for a cheap laugh because the implications the director wants to convey weaken the Church, her honor, and the ability she has to continue to be one of the remaining moral voices this world still has. Also, the ending is, as wikipedia points out, a big let down.
davincirecebe
A few days ago, I watched Prometheus, and found it such a revolting stupid waste of time, that I created my account here only to warn anyone from committing the same mistake; Now, unhappily, I have to add this HABEMUS PAPAM to the "what-a-waste-of-time-and-money" list...Just like Prometheus, what starts out as a very well made film, with impressively credible imagery, costumes, ambiance etc., and generates very high expectations, COMPLETELY loses track, and becomes an utterly meaningless and pointless waste of time, with an INCREDIBLY bad ending.When the movie begins, we see the election of the new pope, almost unanimous...a man with a gentle and humble face, and we expect he will lead the church into a glorious new path of renovation...but then, as he is being announced to the crowd, he screams and runs off to his chambers saying he just "can't do it". Would he had killed himself, or thrown himself off the balcony, it would have been far better for us viewers...With this unrealistic but interesting premise, we are enticed into expecting "what an interesting situation, let's see the pope as a normal man", the movie then shows the church calling in a psychologist to help him out of his crisis...the 1st encounter is comical, with the shrink and the Pope surrounded by cardinals...At this point, still anticipating a good story, our expectations change, added by the anticipation of comedy, of funny situations, something akin to "King Ralph"...but then, then...the movie DIES. The plot simply STOPS. For the next hour and 20 minutes, we see the pope running off into the streets, mumbling to himself, as lost as the storyline...NO deep insights, NO FUN whatsoever, NOT ONE interesting or deeper dialogue, he just hangs around a group of actors, one of whom is insane (a feeble and witless attempt at showing catholicism as a fraud?) so completely lost as to border insane. To think this sorry excuse of a mature man might have been a cardinal is simply unbelievable.Oh yes, and all the while back in the Vatican, the shrink is doing...NOTHING. He plays cards and - VOLLEYBALL(!!!) with the old cardinals. He DOES NOT meet the pope again, don't be fooled by some "plot summaries" around.In the end, as lost and whiney as before, not one iota the wiser, the pope returns, and gives his 1st speech to the crowd: "I'm not the right person, sorry everybody, I'm not up to it." And walks away back into the room. THE END. WTF??? He does NOTHING a normal man would - he does not resign, he does not appoint a successor, he does not warn the cardinals he wants to resign, he simply punches the whole of Christendom in the face with a "I'm sorry" whimper. And the college of Cardinals, portrayed as a bunch of mindless aging old men fit for a nursery home, lets him go through to the end. The leaders of a 2000 year old organization act like a collective bad case of Alzheimer's...I'd rather they'd poisoned him the night before and chosen another cardinal than watching that absolutely implausible "plot".A COMPLETE waste of time, money, scenery, everything...and between Prometheus and this one, I've wasted quite a lot of my time and patience as well.Learn from my mistakes, keep away from these dumps, and please wish me luck, I'm trying to find a good movie to recommend, but it's not being easy lately.
Eksebeche
Not much to look at, commercial film with no foundation in reality, a tool for bringing religion back to disappointed believers.Clumsy attempt at imitation of the movie "La vita è Bella" which makes it even more transparent. The role of the Pope was entrusted to a good actor, I admit to that. I thought the concept of rapid mixing of unusual, funny and serious situation used only to receive a consolation prize at film festivals, but there are still people who would throw big money at the same thing. On the other hand, one can see why they selected the actors of this caliber and the language of course had to be Italian. Making it to be like some Hollywood blockbusters would not fare well, but at least this can be used by the Vatican, provided they obtain a minimal positive reviews.
