Review of We Have a Pope (2011) by Jerome S — 17 Feb 2013

Watched this because Benedict stepped down, and was rewarded with a beautiful, charming film that almost rises to the occasion of changing the Papacy. Unfortunately, I'm not sure the director wanted it to go there.

I think Melville was on his way to understanding a world he'd left a long time ago, but the ending refuses to be simple, instead asking the viewer to understand the humanity of those elected to being the Pope.

I was very impressed by the writing and the understated comedy and the turns in the plot. I would have been more pleased to see a transformed-by-his-journey Pope, but perhaps the viewers are changed by the journey instead.