The Two Popes (2019)

Benedict and Francis. Two Popes, who in terms of ideology have nothing in common. Yet the predicament of the times they live in bring them together. The Two Popes is a magnificent film. Heavily dialogue driven, as you'd expect, but spellbinding in it's recreation of a special friendship many of us never knew about. Even more fascinating is how both Popes are portrayed. Commonly, most people prefer Francis over Benedict, either because for personal or political reasons. This film doesn't see them unequally. Despite the clear ideological differences, they are both flawed, but well-intentioned shepherds of God. They are human, just like all of us, and despite their roles in society, are imperfect. That is a powerful insight, and one definitely worth making a story of. The performances are fantastic. Pryce and Hopkins were born to play these two men, putting aside the fact that they already look remarkably like them. The back and forth between narrative and documentary filmmaking was flawless, and not jarring. You can sit for it's entirety, and be riveted. I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I like this. Four and 1/2 out of Five Stars.