Der junge Papst

I was among many others who rushed to compare Paolo Sorrentino's Vatican drama The Young Pope to Beau Willimon's political masterpiece House of Cards after watching the first couple of episodes of the former. Obviously, I was wrong. Despite the unmistakable similarities between the enigmatic newly-elected young American pope Lenny Belardo, a.k.a. Pius XIII, and the evil mastermind statesman Frank Underwood, both shows aim at two completely distinctive targets, and although it is true that institutional religion and politics share so much in common in terms of manipulation and intrigue, Willimon and Belardo evidently play different tunes to approach such thorny issues.

Once you get past the third episode, you will realize that Belardo is nothing like Underwood. He might be the most diabolical pope you would see on screen but his vulnerability brings the human back into his character and makes it contradictory, yet more believable. A mixture of kindness and cruelty, faith and doubt, innocent childhood and bitter adulthood, finely portrayed by Jude Law in a role that will later be marked in his career as the departure from Hollywood's 'pretty boy' branding and an ensuing history of fumbling and the beginning of more mature choices and performances.

The entire series is based on this kind of alluring contradiction. I'm not Catholic, not even Christian, but I honestly cannot see how this show can be offensive to anyone. Sorrentino's take on religion and the system of belief in general is very far from liberal or conservative absolutism; he uses his renowned magical aestheticism to create a space for all voices to converse – a space where religion and art collide in a supernova of beauty on every possible level. Unlike Willimon who wages a war against the political system to reveal its inherent ugliness, Sorrentino gently takes us to the heart of conservative dogma to show that religion is a personal story whose contradictory nature must be nurtured and celebrated. In the very first scene, our young pope, Lenny Belardo, struggles to crawl out of a heap of sleeping babies.

It is a story about finding maturity in faith.

The eccentric, brilliant mix of intellectual aestheticism and tongue-in-cheek comedy of The Young Pope is only made better by the almost perfect casting. Silvio Orlando particularly stands out as the football fanatic, Secretary of State Cardinal Voiello who even though represents the Pope's nemesis, is undoubtingly the most comic character in the series. Cheeky contradiction invades all aspects of Sorrentino's drama: narrative juxtaposition, cinematography, music… etc. Imagine listening to "I'm Sexy and I Know It" in the background of a sequence where the Vatican's most esteemed authority gets dressed for the Cardinals' address.

Not to mention that Sorrentino's frames are a source of pleasure in their own right, I have truly enjoyed watching every minute of The Young Pope. Emotional, witty, beautiful, funny, original… the show has all elements I need to keep me anxiously waiting for a second season. Don't be long, Mr. Sorrentino!

I guess I should start with what I don't like about this show - the dialogue is somewhat unnatural. There's no umming or erring at all, conversations are as rapid and resolute as in an American crime procedural, which is slightly weird most of the time but especially disturbing when coming from actors who aren't speaking in their first language, who happen to make up the vast majority of actors on this show.

That's it as far as flaws though, and I won't even deduct any points for this one flaw because there's a positive aspect to it, to the point that I can't even be 100% sure it wasn't intended - it adds to the feeling of surrealism that permeates every scene in this unique and wonderful creation. And when I say wonderful I mean it literally - this show is full of wonders at every corner. It keeps you constantly surprised, on edge, unsure of what on earth could possibly come next. The plot, the writing, the cinematography, the acting, the music, oh the music! The choice of music, the placement of it. Every single one of these things is done with so much balls, finesse and confidence and to the highest degree of quality. And most importantly it's a fuckload of fun, never for a second taking itself seriously, the aforementioned surrealism constantly popping up where you least expect it. It's as much a colourful satire of TV shows, film and life itself as it is one of the Church.

It's really rather hard to believe that Sky and HBO financed this gigantic odd piece of brilliantly experimental filmmaking. I'd never quite accepted what a few critics have begun to say recently, but with this show I think the penny's finally dropped for me on the notion that TV and streaming services are taking over the mantle of art in filmmaking. Which is really fortunate, since true artists like Sorrentino are finding it harder and harder these days to get movies made, and not only are many of them being given big budgets and free reign these days on TV (see also: Mr. Robot, The Knick) but this medium lets them tell much longer stories, and without being afraid that the audience will fall asleep or run off to the toilet with their bladders bursting. Praise our most holy father.

This my first review only because I read two bad reviews and feel it may not have given it real justice. They say it is predictable, uninspiring, trying to be something original. That being said it is probably true to a degree but you have to keep watching. At first all these things are presented too show the facade of what we already know - the scandals - but it fades and introduces new questions. For someone who bores at the fact of church going this was rather intriguing. Jude Law is great as the young American pope. I feel he plays with the subtle conflicts so well; vanity, power, pious yet struggles, scathing but is a visionary.

It does offer itself in the end a nice change to what is already out there. Refreshing that is isn't another zombie, crime, legal, quirky comedy or supernatural or super powers, or medieval bloody TV series.

It was everything I was hoping for, great set, awesome cast. Lots of swish vocabulary being delivered and not overdone. My thoughts after 30 minutes were "This is going to be Boardwalk Empire in the Vatican" and more. That's not to say that this is like anything done before, more, totally hasn't been done before, and instead of the huge music scores and frowning gown clergy, you get an unpredictable drama, plenty of humour and some wonderfully shot scenes - None of which distract. Jude Law plays the Pope like your father plays the villain when you have a friend over - His vindictive nature is apparent and has you rubbing your hands for the next time the Pope wants to single somebody out... He suffers no fools... Watch it folks, it's fantastic!

There is nothing else like this.

Pro-Catholicism? Anti? None of the above.

This is beyond Catholicism. Beyond religion.

It asks all the questions and gives no simple answers, or obvious answers, or predictable answers, or even unchanging answers.

Or, in some instances, answers at all.

Is it about faith? Absolutely. But without any requirement or persuasion.

And the human condition.

About love. Acceptance. Justice.

Is it, really, even about the Pope?

Exquisitely shot in stunning surround. Did it put even one foot wrong? I would say yes. Keaton. But I still give it a ten.