The Two Popes (2019)
91%RT Audience Score: 88%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 3 Oscars
11 wins & 58 nominations total
Led by outstanding performances from its well-matched leads, The Two Popes draws absorbing drama from a pivotal moment in modern organized religion.
The Two Popes is like watching a buddy comedy, but with two popes instead of two stoners. The acting is top-notch and the script balances humor and weight perfectly. It’s not often you get to see two popes discussing their beliefs and responsibilities, but this movie makes it work. Plus, who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned tale of personal and ideological crossroads intersecting on a world stage? Highly recommend for anyone looking for a thoughtful and entertaining film.
Production Company(ies)
ARTE Ariel Films, Arsam International,
Distributor
Netflix
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (Netflix), Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Rome, Lazio, Italy
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for thematic content and some disturbing violent images.
Year of Release
2019
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Atmos
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:2h 6m
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Language(s):English, Spanish, Italian, Latin, Portuguese, French, German
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Country of origin:United States, United Kingdom, Argentina, Italy
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 27, 2019 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 20, 2019
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Jonathan Pryce, Anthony Hopkins, Juan Gervasio Minujín, Sidney Cole, Thomas D Williams, Federico Torre, directed by Fernando Meirelles, written by Anthony McCarten, Frank Cottrell Boyce, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Christy Lemire, Karen Han, Robert Daniels, Alissa Wilkinson, Adam Mullins-Khatib, Adam Graham, Victor Pineyro, Milana Vujkov, Alex Bentley, Richard Crouse, Fletcher Powell, PG-13, Tracey Seaward, Dan Lin, Jonathan Eirich, produced by Netflix, Pope Benedict, Pope Francis, Vatican, Catholic Church, forgiveness, leadership, religion, friendship, monologues, Dolby Atmos
Worldwide gross: $243,711
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $281,597
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,869
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 30,709
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Anthony Hopkins – Pope Benedict
Juan Gervasio Minujín – Pope Francis Young
Sidney Cole – Cardinal Turkson
Thomas D Williams – American Journalist
Federico Torre – Medina Estevez
Director(s)
Fernando Meirelles
Writer(s)
Anthony McCarten, Frank Cottrell Boyce
Producer(s)
Tracey Seaward, Dan Lin, Jonathan Eirich
Film Festivals
Telluride, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 3 Oscars
11 wins & 58 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (225) | Top Critics (60) | Fresh (201) | Rotten (24)
It is really beautifully acted, and a lot of times it does feel like a play on film in all the best ways.
February 7, 2020 | Rating: 7.5/10
Christy Lemire
Breakfast All Day
TOP CRITIC
What do the two popes of Netflix’s new film The Two Popes have in common with Sherlock Holmes and a murderous robot doll? Great stars, and unfortunately, an inability to break free of source material that doesn’t matter all that much.
December 23, 2019
Karen Han
Polygon
TOP CRITIC
A tightly constructed narrative, which examines the role of forgiveness, The Two Popes is a lowkey buddy comedy that simply follows two actors at the top of their game.
December 23, 2019 | Rating: B+
Robert Daniels
Consequence
TOP CRITIC
The Two Popes is thoroughly and purposefully fictionalized. But it’s also a surprisingly sensitive and often funny take on the promise and perils of leadership, as well as the struggle to serve God when he seems to be silent.
December 19, 2019
Alissa Wilkinson
Vox
TOP CRITIC
The screenplay by McCarten effectively balances moments of levity and weight…
December 17, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Adam Mullins-Khatib
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
What emerges is a discussion of beliefs and responsibilities, yes, but mostly the story of two men at personal and ideological crossroads that happened to intersect on a world stage.
December 17, 2019 | Rating: B
Adam Graham
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
How do you write a dialogue between two popes? Specially in this succession situation. The script shines above the filmmaking in this incredibly acted movie. [Full review in Spanish]
July 7, 2022 | Rating: 8/10
Victor Pineyro
Seventh Art Studio
Intelligent filmmaking, telling a very difficult, highly sensitive tale in a low-key, old-fashioned way, and still coming out as entirely relevant to the times.
July 31, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Milana Vujkov
Lola On Film
Given the subject matter, solid filmmaking from a great director, and two stellar actors squaring off against each other, it’s a good bet The Two Popes will garner plenty of accolades in the months to come.
February 17, 2021
Alex Bentley
CultureMap
The pleasure of The Two Popes is watching two very good actors create worlds with their monologues.
January 30, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
I’m strongly attracted to movies about real, true faith, because that necessarily involves conflict, struggle, and doubt.
January 28, 2021
Fletcher Powell
KMUW – Wichita Public Radio
Quietly riveting and unexpectedly lighthearted, the Two Popes presents two completely different men finding a middle ground, and in the process, a friendship.
November 6, 2020
Dan Buffa
KSDK News (St. Louis)…
Plot
An intimate story of one of the most dramatic transitions of power in the last 2,000 years. Frustrated with the direction of the church, Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) requests permission to retire in 2012 from Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins). Instead, facing scandal and self-doubt, the introspective Pope Benedict summons his harshest critic and future successor to Rome to reveal a secret that would shake the foundations of the Catholic Church. Behind Vatican walls, a struggle commences between both tradition and progress, guilt and forgiveness, as these two very different men confront their pasts in order to find common ground and forge a future for a billion followers around the world. Inspired by true events.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The Two Popes features outstanding performances from its well-matched leads, Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins.
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