I've genuinely anticipated this movie, especially after the multiple pushbacks of the release date. I even saw the interviews LaBeouf has done about the sincerity behind his role as Padre Pio and conversion to Catholicism.
Unfortunately, the following of the political unfolding was very mundane and bare. And worse off, there was minimal tie between the current events to Padre Pio's influence on the people outside of maybe the Eucharist and a couple confessions.
I certainly can say every scene LaBeouf was in, he carried extremely well, but these were sparsely placed throughout the film, and felt very removed from the rest of the movie. However, these scenes still did have a depth and spiritual sense of sacredness that I wish pervaded more of the movie. The moments of his anguish and torment were compelling, but short lived, especially because they were juxtaposed against the aforementioned weakness of the exterior events.
When showing the forced labor the villagers were facing, the cinematography was very jagged and disorienting. I understand it was meant to instill a sense of anxiety and arduousness against the still, calm lensing of Pio's sanctuary, but it was so pronounced that it was just distracting and dizzying. I could get used to an Oliver Wood style of camera shake in an action movie, but it didn't work with this film.
There was little to no tension to the storyline to really illicit a yearn for resolution. Because of this, the film lacked emotional substance, and not stakes. I'm usually content with slower paced movies as long as there's still a sense of building tension.
Again, Shia's performance did stand out, but outside of that, I'm afraid to say this movie really did not carry the viewer through the depth and influence of Padre Pio. Not Shia's fault, more on the writers and director.
I think a better film around this monastic spiritual genre would be "Of Gods and Men."
