NYFF 2021: BENEDETTA: A Hysterical Film About Mass Hysteria

We all know why we’re here for this one. Paul Verhoeven is back in full force, pissing off every Catholic whose outrage will only fuel the fire that is Benedetta Carlini’s lust for the woman’s body. Do the protesters know that calling Benedetta the “blasphemous lesbian nun movie” is the best free marketing the film could ever ask for? But I digress. I came into Benedetta (stop, get your mind out of the gutter) expecting full-fledged raunchiness. What I didn’t expect to receive was a thunderous, hilarious dissection of religious institutions and ignorant men in power.

Wild Crazy Swings

Make no mistake, this is Virginie Efira’s show, but accompanying her is a large ensemble cast, each with their own roles to play in the bigger story of religion, prophecy, and plague. Based on the real nun in the 17th century who resided at an Italian convent in Tuscany, Benedetta begins with little to no waste of time in exposition. Ever since Benedetta was a little girl, miracles have happened to her, and it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly whether she was the luckiest or the unluckiest woman alive. Perhaps Jesus has something in store for her.

Actually no, Jesus definitely has something in store for her, because Jesus himself is a recurring character in this film. With newcomer Bartolomea (Daphne Patakia) entering the convent under Benedetta’s care, the film starts to take some wild crazy swings. Benedetta begins to have visions; almost every one of them involves her precious body being violated by a malicious force, leaving it up to Jesus himself to come to the rescue. These visions lead to multiple episodes of dazed walking, sleepless nights, and dark omens, leading Benedetta to become one of those celebrities who are only talked about in tabloid newspapers.

Surprisingly Funny, Predictably Horny, Unbelievably Crazy

Benedetta is Verhoeven returning to campy, sharp satire. His style is never one of subtlety, but that’s less of a problem when he’s constantly inviting you to laugh with him non-stop. Perhaps that’s the biggest surprise about Benedetta: it’s remarkably funny. Full of tongue-in-cheek jokes and wild swings at what can be shown on screen, the film is always in danger of being tonally all over the place, and yet it never loses its footing on having fun and finding pleasure in the most outrageous circumstances.

Efira and Patakia not only share a terrific chemistry and sexual tension with each other, but the script balances their lust for each other with genuine care for each other’s well-being. Yes, this is a “blasphemous lesbian nun movie,” and when it’s time to get to the set pieces, the film delivers and certainly makes the most out of a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary. Verhoeven isn’t suggesting anything meaningful or symbolic out of these interactions. They are raunchy, titillating, and based on the performances from the two female leads, just plain entertaining. The attitude comes off not as “let these two women love each other” but more like “let horny people enjoy things, and damn you if you oppose them.”

Certainly, the film’s awfully straightforward approach isn’t going to win every viewer, but it is the script combining the lesbian love story with an institutional takedown on religion and politics that keeps the film interesting to watch.

Together, Benedetta and Bartolomea hold their ground against the rest of the characters who threaten to expose their secret. With Charlotte Rampling and Lambert Wilson in the supporting cast, playing the Abbess and the Nuncio respectively, the script is always on the hunt to expose religious people who disguise their power and greed as “God’s will.” Verhoeven and co-writer David Birke together would find creative and satisfying ways to call out people’s bullshit. If it weren’t for the comedy, Benedetta could be mistaken as an angry film, something that you are more likely to find in a filmmaker like Darren Aronofsky.

Benedetta: You’re Either With It All the Way Or Not At All

As more signs reveal that Benedetta may in fact be God’s spokesperson, the film just gets crazier and crazier. By the time Verhoeven reaches the third act, you are either on his wavelength all the way or not at all, but one must respect his desire of covering multiple topics and a wide range of characters from the very beginning. We watch every one of them struggle with keeping their faith while maintaining their power over the convent and the people of Tuscany.

There’s more to Verhoeven’s mind than just horny nuns. Benedetta, at its core, is a hysterical film about mass hysteria. With the finale involving the country’s real threat of plague and looming death at the time, the film eventually veers into full-on religious madness, and every performance sells the chaos, the terror, and the unexpected laughs. At times, Benedetta plays its 17th Century story like it’s happening today in 2021.

With so many Catholic protestors lining up at the film’s screening at the New York Film Festival, playing the horrendous but hilarious sound of bagpipes, things start to look familiar and… just plain amusing. I know one thing is for sure: Verhoeven’s getting the last laugh.

Did you see Benedetta? What did you think of the film? Share below!

Benedetta premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. It is scheduled to be released in theaters in the United States on December 3, 2021.

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