Review by Jenny Priestley
Stars Michel Piccoli, Nanni Moretti, Jerzy Stuhr, Renato Scarpa, Margherita Buy, Franco Graziosi, Camillo Milli, Roberto Nobile, Ulrich von Dobschütz
Written by Francesco Piccolo & Frederica Pontremoli
Certification UK 15
Runtime 104 minutes
Directed by Nanni Moretti
What happens when the man who carries the faith of a billion people suffers a crisis of confidence? That's the heart of Nanni Moretti's hugely enjoyable drama/comedy.
The Pope has died and a new one must be chosen. The film begins as the College of Cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel to choose the new leader of the Catholic faith. As always, the media has anointed its frontrunners and the faithful are gathered in St Peter's Square awaiting the white smoke which signals the choice has been made. The problem is, no-one really wants the job. As the various ballots happen, we see all the possible candidates praying their name isn't the one with the most votes. Eventually a decision is made and French priest Melville (Piccoli) is the new Pope. However, as he prepares to make his Papal debut he suffers a panic attack and refuses to speak.
When the Pope-elect retires to his rooms, the Cardinals are also unable to leave the Vatican as the law states they may not leave until the new Pope is revealed to the world (there's a lovely scene with a trio of Australian bishops who want to go on a sightseeing trip). The Vatican heirachy is worried and decide to bring in a psychoanalyst (Moretti) to try and find out what's wrong with Melville. But nothing to do with the Pope can be done in private, and so the psychotherapist must conduct his session with the whole College watching on - and unsurprisngly has no luck. Now he too must stay within the Vatican until everything is sorted out.
Surprisingly for a film about the Catholic church, little of this film is actually about faith. It's more about a man losing his self-confidence and feeling unable to take on the responsibility of becoming the first and last line to God. The film is both comedy and drama, becoming more dramatic as the plot moves towards its climax. But there is also a lovely scene where the stranded psychoanalyst organises a volleyball tournament for the gathered Cardinals.
Piccoli is excellent as Melville portaying the man's struggle with what is expected of him and his own wish to stand-down. Moretti provides good support as the stranded atheist doctor. My only real criticism is the abrupt ending, I would have preferred just five minutes more so we know what finally happens. But this is a joy of a film with a fantastic central performance.