We Have A Pope

Nanni Moretti's papal farce is a full of mouth-watering potential for comedy and drama. Sadly it never develops the problems at its core, and is too reliant on corny visual gags to really excel in either genre.

The hype…
An Italian comedy-drama about a Pope on the run from his responsibilities brings the welcome promise of light-hearted continental farce to UK cinemas. But it could also be a po-faced critique of religious bureaucracy.

The story…
Deep in the depths of the Vatican, the cardinals are gathering. The masses are thronging outside, awaiting the outcome of this important meeting - because at the end of it, the Catholic world will have a new Pope. There's just one problem, nobody wants the job.

After much wrangling, and several recounts, Cardinal Melville (Michel Piccoli) is chosen for the prestigious role. He immediately has a breakdown.

The collected Cardinals do their best to reassure him, but they reluctantly decide to enlist the help of a prestigious psychologist (director Nanni Moretti). His unorthodox methods aren't too appreciated, but the could at least distract the religious luminaries from the impending crisis.

The breakdown…
The premise, and the opening scenes, are brilliant. Nanni Moretti expertly juxtaposes the weight of global expectation on this most prestigious of occasions with the farcical state of panic inside the Vatican.

There are brilliantly fertile moments of comedy as the Cardinals alternate between powerful figures oozing gravitas and wisdom, and feeble old men daunted by the prospect of leading hundreds of millions of worshippers in their faith.

Unfortunately, this careful balance is quickly lost as the film rambles it's way into a shallow portrait of an individual who has lost his way.

The main problem is that Moretti has fallen in love with his concept so much that he fails to properly explore it.

When the Pope (Piccoli) goes on the run, he doesn't quite manage to delve deep enough into the reasons this great man feels he cannot fulfil his duty to the Church. Feeble sorties into his past life as an aspiring actor just don't cut the mustard when it comes to explaining how a man who dedicated his life to the Catholic Church would suddenly turn his back on it. (Lest we forget, the role if Pope is said to be selected by God himself, so a rejection of the role is a rejection of the word of God).

On the other side, Moretti's decision to introduce himself as a psychologist drafted in by the Vatican shifts from being an interesting look at the Church's reluctant shift into modernity to serving merely as a mediocre fish-out-of-water comedy. Lacking any real connection to the material, all the role does is provide a few cheap laughs as proud Cardinals are coaxed into volleyball matches and competitive games of cards.
 
The verdict…
There is some merit in the story as we meander with the ever watchable Piccoli through his existential crisis. And the cheap gags are worth a chuckle of two. It's just a shame that a bold and intriguing premise never ripens into anything spectacular.


Rating: 2/5

'We Have A Pope' is due to be released in the UK on 2 December. Certificate: PG.