In 2013, two remarkable things happened in Vatican City: Pope Benedict XVI resigned (the first pontiff to do so in 600 years), and Argentinian Pope Francis became the first Latin-American pope. But before they were Benedict and Francis, they were Cardinals Ratzinger (Anthony Hopkins) and Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce). This critical Catholic pivot point—one Pope’s unexpected departure and another’s reluctant ascension—is dramatized in this endlessly fascinating film from director Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardener, City of God) that dives deep into the philosophy, history, scandal, and accountability of these two men of the cloth. Hopkins is terrific as a consummate politician thrown into a maelstrom of self-reflection, and Pryce has never been better as a humble reformer coming to terms with the intersection of moral courage and personal failings. “Truth may be vital, but without love, it is unbearable,” says Bergoglio, letting his love of humanity, good humor, music, and soccer shine through in this compassionate portrait of two richly complex figures. Director: Fernando Meirelles (US 2019) 125 min