This is not the kind of movie that I normally gravitate toward. I’m not very religious and largely distrust the Catholic hierarchy in Rome because of their horrible record regarding child molesting priests. Yet the intrigue of the Vatican is real, and good movies can be produced about the papal history, real or fictional (Monsignor is bad, but this film, and The Shoes of the Fisherman, are good).

Fernando Meirelles’ film is largely a delight. Think of two powerful men who don’t normally see eye to eye having to come to terms, with each of them affecting the other in ways they do not recognize; that’s what occurs here. Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) doesn’t know how to end his reign properly, but his long meeting with Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) convinces him that there is a way to do it — if Bergoglio cooperates. And Bergoglio begins to see that there is more to the intransigent, conservative Pope than people realize.

This character study reminded me a little of My Dinner with Andre, but with a defter touch, a wide spectrum of ideas to explore, flashbacks to help illuminate the past, and beautiful scenery, both outdoors and inside. Other people appear and move in and out of the story, but the focus is consistently on two men who genuinely try to live lives dedicated to others, even as the constraints of their religion force them into doctrine and protocol that chafe them personally and professionally. The film humanizes them, especially Bergoglio, who ultimately becomes Pope Francis.

The actors are consummate professionals, working at marvelously high levels, with reams of concept-heavy dialogue to deliver. Pryce is terrific and Hopkins is nearly his equal. I didn’t expect to enjoy this story as much as I did, but director Meirelles knows how to find the universal elements that everyone can appreciate. Be sure to catch it; it’s one of the best films of the year. ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2. 3 March 2020.