The Catholic Church doesn’t exactly project the most inviting image, so it’s hard to imagine Vatican City providing the appropriate backdrop for a buddy movie, much less one involving papal authority.
Therein lies the inherent cleverness of “The Two Popes,” director Fernando Meirelles and screenwriter Anthony McCarten’s sweet and surprisingly lighthearted depiction of the conversations between Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) and Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) that culminated in Benedict’s unusual retirement and Bergoglio taking his place in 2013.If that sounds unusual or even a touch absurd, well, yes: The endearing chemistry between these characters and the movie’s breezy tone often clashes with the subject at hand.
That creates a peculiar dissonance whenever the movie attempts to dig deep on matters of faith, or the bleaker controversies involving the Catholic Church today.
“The Two Popes” glosses over the sexual assault coverups that marred Benedict’s legacy,
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