<p><strong>Director:</strong> Fernando Meirelles-</p>.<p><strong>Cast: </strong>Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins</p>.<p>Rating: 3.5/5</p>.<p>The Fernando Meirelles-directed <em>The Two Popes,</em> which helped Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins bag Oscar nominations in the 'Best Actor' and 'Best Supporting Actor' categories, is a compelling masterpiece which hits the right notes. The biographical-drama revolves around the chequered relationship between the future Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI, highlighting that the two men respected each other despite their political/ideological differences. The core plot works well with the target audience despite lacking a universal appeal. </p>.<p>The expertly-written screenplay, however, makes up for this slight limitation quite well. The writers do a splendid job of highlighting the bond between the protagonist and this proves to be the backbone of The Two Popes. </p>.<p>The film opens on a rather slow note before picking up thereafter, it moves at a pace, which does full justice to the subject matter. The scenes depicting the first major discussion between the two 'heroes' leaves fans spellbound with its organic intensity. Most of the other sequences too deliver the goods with silences doing the talking. <br />The sequences focusing on Jonathan Pryce's background are compelling and should fly with history buffs. Similarly, the softer scenes involving the leading men ensure that the film proves to be anything but a one-dimensional affair.</p>.<p>Coming to performances, Pryce is the heart and soul of The Two Popes, underplaying his part like a boss. He is particularly good in the scenes where he speaks about his past failures. <br />Hopkins too hits it out of the park, stealing the show with his dialogue delivery. In fact, he overshadows 'The High Sparrow' in a few scenes, which is no easy task. Juan Minujín, who plays the younger version of Pryce's character, delivers a sincere performance, proving his mettle.</p>.<p>As <em>The Two Popes</em> is not a popcorn entertainer, there is limited to no scope for songs or other commercial elements. Luckily. the makers refrain from adding 'masala' to the film for the heck of it, which enhances its impact. The cinematography and editing are good, </p>.<p>All in all, <em>The Two Popes</em> is a classic case of the content doing justice to the hype. </p>
<p><strong>Director:</strong> Fernando Meirelles-</p>.<p><strong>Cast: </strong>Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins</p>.<p>Rating: 3.5/5</p>.<p>The Fernando Meirelles-directed <em>The Two Popes,</em> which helped Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins bag Oscar nominations in the 'Best Actor' and 'Best Supporting Actor' categories, is a compelling masterpiece which hits the right notes. The biographical-drama revolves around the chequered relationship between the future Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI, highlighting that the two men respected each other despite their political/ideological differences. The core plot works well with the target audience despite lacking a universal appeal. </p>.<p>The expertly-written screenplay, however, makes up for this slight limitation quite well. The writers do a splendid job of highlighting the bond between the protagonist and this proves to be the backbone of The Two Popes. </p>.<p>The film opens on a rather slow note before picking up thereafter, it moves at a pace, which does full justice to the subject matter. The scenes depicting the first major discussion between the two 'heroes' leaves fans spellbound with its organic intensity. Most of the other sequences too deliver the goods with silences doing the talking. <br />The sequences focusing on Jonathan Pryce's background are compelling and should fly with history buffs. Similarly, the softer scenes involving the leading men ensure that the film proves to be anything but a one-dimensional affair.</p>.<p>Coming to performances, Pryce is the heart and soul of The Two Popes, underplaying his part like a boss. He is particularly good in the scenes where he speaks about his past failures. <br />Hopkins too hits it out of the park, stealing the show with his dialogue delivery. In fact, he overshadows 'The High Sparrow' in a few scenes, which is no easy task. Juan Minujín, who plays the younger version of Pryce's character, delivers a sincere performance, proving his mettle.</p>.<p>As <em>The Two Popes</em> is not a popcorn entertainer, there is limited to no scope for songs or other commercial elements. Luckily. the makers refrain from adding 'masala' to the film for the heck of it, which enhances its impact. The cinematography and editing are good, </p>.<p>All in all, <em>The Two Popes</em> is a classic case of the content doing justice to the hype. </p>
