I went into this film not looking forward to it but came away extremely glad that I took the time to watch it. This is an excellent "behind-the-scenes" look at the Catholic church and that papal machine. It's really interesting to see inner-workings of the conclave and the selection process of choosing the next pope.
Jonathan Pryce is really good in the lead role as Pope Francis. He looks a lot like the real pope and his chemistry with Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) is fun to watch. Watching where Francis came from in his history and the choices he made leading up to succeeding Benedict was effectively conveyed on-screen by director Fernando Meirelles. You rarely get to see the lives of cardinals and bishops in such a raw format. I'm sure a lot of this isn't totally authentic but it makes for riveting cinema.
Make sure to watch through the credits scene to see a hilarious back-and-forth with the two popes watching the 2014 World Cup Final following the papal transfer of power. I learned a lot watching this film and it's well worth a viewing on Netflix.
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