Glucedee It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Geraldine The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

sergepesic I am sure this movie will offend the sensitivities of ardent Catholics. After all anything that questions in any way the simplicity of their beliefs offends them. Nanni Moretti made perfectly Italian comedy. Without exaggeration, without huge belly laughs, but putting gentle smile on viewers face. A cardinal, amongst many who pray not be elected, becomes a pope and experiences an existential crisis. Nanni Moretti is obviously not a believer, but he is not a militant atheist either. He observes with regretful expression, because as he once said he is sorry that he is not religious. What holds this movie together is magnificent Michel Piccoli, a legend of European cinema. With his gentle smile and demeanor, this confused cardinal puts a very sympathetic face on the church that desperately needs help.

mateo montoya I saw the movie a few days ago and, even though I did not like the ending, I gave a 9/10, because I loved how the Cardinals were made to look so godly and so human at the same time. Michel Piccoli did such great acting. Last but not least, besides being very entertaining, the movie now has proved to be prophetic, as Pope Benedict has resigned to everyone's surprise. That alone makes this movie, a great movie.PS: For the person who wrote: "Waste of time, written by an atheist so what do you expect", and then complains of "an insult to all Believers". I am not an atheist; I believe in God. But my thinking brain felt deeply insulted as I was reading the rant.

rossangela ***this review may contain spoilers*** The other reviewers, in my opinion, focus too much on the minutiae of this story. I must admit my first reaction to the film is that it lacked coherence and punch. However, in the middle of the night, awakening with my own "road to Damascus" (as one reviewer said)regarding this film, I realized that the story elements served to make the statement that the authority and credibility of the Catholic Church in the 21st century is about to undergo a complete transformation, if not collapse. With all the sexual abuse scandals worldwide, the lack of appropriate consequences for the bishops and cardinals who protected those offending priests (see Cardinal Bernard Law, who was given an important position in Rome, after leaving Boston in disgrace), and the appalling treatment of and attitudes towards women all point to an institution that can only survive as long as a belief in the concept that the pope is "god's representative on earth" prevails. Within the context of this film we see that the newly elected pope is just a human being like any of us, and maybe only men, not god, have chosen him to lead. When the infallibility of the pope is called into question, then the whole thing begins to unravel. This belief in the pope's infallibility is what the authority of the Catholic Church rests upon. If he's just another guy, does he have the moral authority to make pronouncements about gay marriage, women as priests, celibacy of priests, birth control, and so many other controversial issues. At the end of the film, when Melville finally leaves, the cardinals are completely aghast, showing absolute shock in their reactions, covering their mouths in horror, realizing that their world is about to drastically change. It is no longer "business as usual." I think Moretti knew that this is exactly the message he was unleashing with this film. And to him, I say Bravo!! By the way, I was raised Catholic, have a sister who is a nun, and I attended a Jesuit university, until I was told upon entering a pre-law class on the first day of school that "all you women -- you go to the back of the room. You get a C for the term." There are many, many good people who follow the Catholic faith. But I am referring to the male hierarchy which, since the beginnings of the church, have used all kinds of means to grasp and stay in power. This film takes a little of that power away from them.

Pablo Aguirre Solana This movie is actually money bad spent. The story line, is to my consideration, not credible at all, not because it has to be, but because the fictional side of it does not make sense in any way. The plot I assume is a bet, that intends to portrait the Pope as more human than humans, but in that intent I guess the story completely fails to engage with the audience. Imagine a Pope that denies himself the possibility of being the Pope, because of his internal tribulations and psychological doubts ? How that can happen ? Even in the utmost of fantastic fiction. In this way, the movie fails to be a historic one, a drama one or a fictional one, in my humble opinion.