Habemus Papam

We have a Pope, or Habemus Papem, starts with the death of the Pope and the funeral procession at the Vatican. The scenery is spectacular with Cardinals from all over the world reciting prayers. The story then switches to the voting for the new Pontiff. The election of the new Vicar of Christ, played brilliantly by Michel Piccoli, is a very interesting concept.

Piccoli has severe doubts as to his ability to lead the Catholic Church and refuses to accept his fellow Cardinals decision appointing him to be in charge of the great bureaucracy of Rome.

The best psychiatrist in Italy is brought in to help the newly elected Pope deal with his anxiety. He leaves the Vatican for a few days to travel incognito and find himself among the common people. I won't continue so as not to spoil the rest of the film except to say that it remains interesting throughout. It never becomes preachy and the cast is excellent, led by Michel Piccoli.

Every comment I see about Habemus Papam seems to focus a little too much on the depiction of the Catholic Church and its figures of authority, maybe because of the title. Let it go, it's not a critical movie of the religious institution, and it's certainly not a mocking of anyone's faith.

It is actually a story about a man's confrontation with great responsibilities, set in a very peculiar yet strangely believable scenario.

I'd say that the central plot and general feeling of the story could be reasonably translated into a different setting. The Catholic Church replaced with a government, the newly-elected Pope replaced with the newly-elected or crowned leader, etc. Maybe a different setting would fall short trying to depict the seriousness of the situation - can you think of a higher position of authority than that of the Pope? -, and maybe it wouldn't be such a charismatic movie if all the central influential characters weren't light-hearted old men, such as the cardinals in this instance... but it could definitely be done.

There are several high points in this movie, most of them straightforward enough that you don't have to be a cinema-nut to appreciate. The acting is terrific, the general quality is comparable with the most hyped Hollywood films (I'm guessing that not needing helicopters, extreme CGI and explosions really helps keeping the budget low). I'm not an 'artsy cinema nut' - and I loved it. (In fact, liking it so much and finding only reviews about it being about 'the Pope' bothered me, that's why I registered to write this review).

Anyway, this was different from everything I had ever seen before, and always in a good way. Well, at least never in a bad one! There is indeed some kind of fresh entertainment and novelty in knowing that your finely tuned powers of plot prediction are useless against a storyteller's unusual way of telling an interesting story. I don't even know who this storyteller is, but assuming it is the director Moretti - he did a good job.

Maybe a more 'conventional' viewer, if there is such a thing, might be unsatisfied because of the peculiarities - some open ended scenes, even one untied subplot; unexplained character reactions that seem entirely sincere nonetheless. While I noticed these things, they didn't annoy me enough to detract from the general experience. And as long as you watch it without a 'conventional viewer's' mindset and expectations, I can almost guarantee that you will be pleasantly entertained.

Let me clarify: don't expect situation jokes. Don't expect an inner journey into the darkness of a hero's troubled dark soul. Don't expect a wacky incarnation of comic relief. And let me repeat this one more time: you don't have to be an 'artsy cinema nut' to enjoy it; just don't expect to be presented to the same old situations and movie gimmicks.

It's actually worth a lot more than just for it's quirkiness, but if for nothing else, watch this so you can briefly purge your mind of the sameness that plagues the screens.

The description of the movie is wrongly understood. This movie is definitely NOT about the relationship of Pope and his therapist. The failed therapist has and episodic side-role. The movie is about a Bishop who cannot take the burden of responsibility and attention that falls upon him. How he struggles and how he finds courage to solve the situation. There is no relationship between a Pope and therapist who have a 10 sentence conversation. Even the other therapist - therapists wife does not have any major impact or role in the movie whatsoever. Okay she kind of connects with the Pope but has more of a satirical role considering the outcome and storyline. Misleading is this introduction. Please change it.

This is going to be one of the most watchable films of the year, a conversation piece to shoot the breeze around religion. It is about a new Pope elect who, after the elaborate ritual has drawn thousands of people in anxious anticipation outside the Holy See, discovers that he cannot go out on the balcony and give his blessing. He cannot be what he's expected to be.

So the eye turns inwards for self-discovery. On that level the film adopts a tone of melancholy yearning. It is sad, just to see a man weighed down by the will of god, possibly dismayed at the silence. On the flipside it is funny, when all the ordained officials are worried about is the ceremonial shibboleth or a cup of cappuccino. It is generally bittersweet with old life greeting itself from a pulpit that demands closure, revelation. Meanwhile conjecture and idle speculation are continuously throughout the film being blabbed from the TV.

But does it matter, which is to say can it weigh down on us or instill a silence in which to seek our words? I'm not just idling here, what I mean is this; although enjoyable on a very plain level, melancholy with red curtains fluttering in absence, and since it competed with both Tree of Life and Melancholia this year at Cannes, does it offer its own ascetic images to contemplate?

The answer is likely no, but not for failing to provide opportunities. Exemplified in two instances, double perspectives both; one is of course at the beginning, with outside the triumph and celebration of organized faith, faith in god's will, but from inside there is only the confused, agitated mind of a plain man who must embody that will. The other is when the cardinals rejoice that the Pope is finally doing better; but of course, from our perspective, we know that inside the chambers is only an even more plain man as substitute, baffled at his newfound importance. He stages behind the papal curtains a play of light and shadow for the gathered congregation outside, this is a fitting image of what Moretti is looking to exemplify.

So in both cases we are directed to recognize a charade of profoundest deception or false hope. Where god should be made manifest, we have instead the same hapless poor schmucks as the rest of us. There is no higher wisdom, atheists will rejoice in this. Another opinion is that his depiction of cardinals, despite the odd sour face, as kindly old men, overgrown children really, is not as scathing as some might have hoped.

But the old man heard at the sermon, about the wisdom that comes from humility. Some weighs we let fall on our shoulders, because there's no two ways around it. So even though this spiritual absence becomes deafening in the finale, I just cannot embrace any of it.

Catholicism may or may not deserve our modern scorn, but faith isn't doctrine. Faith being a personal attainment, it is not an old man greeting us from a balcony.

This film is mildly recommended.

In one of my all-time favorite romantic comedies, Billy Wilder's enchanting Roman Holiday, a princess, with an aversion to her royal responsibilities and its added pressure of pomp and circumstance that comes with it, flees her guardians to escape to a simpler commoner's life in Rome. Complications ( and love ) ensue. In Nanni Moretti's engaging We Have a Pope, the job description might have changed slightly, but the same intensity and stress of duty and honor remains. And while the main character is never in search of love, complications begin to pile up.

The pope has died and a new successor must be elected. After multiple voting, the conclave of cardinals decide that Cardinal Melville would be the best candidate to fill that void. The crowds form outside the Vatican awaiting their decision, all eyes focused on that central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and its new pontiff. Yet inside, it is another story entirely as the newly anointed and appointed leader refuses to take on that role. A psychotherapist is brought in to convince Cardinal Melville that this big white whale of a job belongs to him. So what does the cardinal do? He escapes, seeking la dolce vita that others have.

Now Moretti's basic idea is an intriguing one, that one man who so many look to for spiritual guidance is himself in search of that elusive goal and is in the midst of his own personal crisis of faith. Morretti serves his story well as a director, setting up his characters, all of whom are held captive in their grandiose surroundings and involving the movie audience with the regal pageantry and splendor.

But as screenwriter, his script loses its focus with some subplots and actions that never quite gel. Just as his character becomes lost, so does his film. Scenes involving his interactions and experiences with the common folk fall flat and don't seem to resolve the complex issue or provide any insight for this troubled soul's introspection. As the film progresses, the remaining cardinals become more one-dimensional and their behavior, while slightly amusing, become easy folly as they play volleyball in their fancy silk trappings, merely decoration rather than real people. ( Only Renato Scarpi as Cardinal Gregori provides any depth to his character. ) Plus, the role of the psychologist ( also played by Moretti ) becomes a mere afterthought, never really building any relationship with his patient. And, those annoying Leaps of Logic comes to the forefront during his respite allowing him his "Roman Holiday", though those everyday "economic" expenses are not explained in the least ( free hotel room, food, theater ticket, bus transportation, etc.).

The film detours to an unsatisfying and unexpected conclusion that basically negates everything before it. As Cardinal Melville grapples with the anxiety of becoming one of the world's most exalted religious leader, Moretti too never comes to terms with his initial fascinating premise and his film's plot structure.

Fortunately, the talented French actor, Michel Piccoli gives a wonderfully subtle performance as Il papa. His nuanced facial expressions and sad soulful eyes convey the character's humility, fear, and wisdom beyond his years. It is superb acting that nearly makes up for some of the film's missteps along the way.

While many of the compelling elements are up there on the screen for a fine film, We Have a Pope simply needed to have a better script ( and ending ) to achieve a level of success. Still, Moretti does stay true to his vision and never becomes sentimental or mawkish. In We Have a Pope, while the job may remain unfilled, the moviegoer in us all regretfully remains unfulfilled as well. GRADE: B-

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