POPE FRANCIS: A MAN OF HIS WORD: Wim Wenders Wastes A Fascinating Journey

How do you introduce the single most famous religious figure in the world in a film? There is no easy answer for sure, but there are easy, uninspired methods and, unfortunately, Wim Wenders has chosen to employ them all. Taken as an independent text, there isn’t much that’s exactly bad about Pope Francis: A Man of His Word. It’s a solidly crafted portrait of the Pope with the occasional breathtaking moment. The problem is, it’s a portrait that anyone who has ever heard of the Pope probably already knows.

Nothing New

To be clear, it is foolishly unrealistic to expect Wenders to have made any kind of critical or challenging work while retaining the kind of access he did to the Pope and the Vatican. That is not the issue. You don’t have to confront the Pope with abortion or abuse within the church to make a conversation interesting. The issue, rather, is Wenders inexplicable lack of interest in enriching or expanding the narrative we have come to learn of Pope Francis so far. Besides a few tidbits here and there, there is virtually nothing in this film you wouldn’t have already seen if you have access to television or the internet.

Cutting between an interview with the Pope Francis, archival footage of papal events, and a bizarre reenactment of the life of Saint Francis of Assisi (from whom the current Pope takes his name), the film’s characterization of the Pope is frustratingly superficial and repetitive. The film simply regurgitates everything already known about the Pope: his humility, opposition to materialism, advocacy for climate change, etc. Though Wenders gets some beautiful words of wisdom from the Pope, there is, again, nothing new here. If you’ve ever seen the Pope talk, or have just read/heard coverage of his speeches and actions, you know this already.

This all begs the question of audience. It is profoundly unclear who this film is for, exactly. It doesn’t seem particularly interested in a Catholic audience. I can’t say for certain, as I am not Catholic myself, but if I’ve gained no new perspective on the Pope (as a Muslim who does not follow news of the Pope more than any other average non-Catholic Joe), I don’t see how someone who is actively invested in the Pope would. As for a non-Catholic audience, which I can speak to a little better, the film seems to be also oblivious. Perhaps besides critics or diehard Wenders fans, no one who is uninterested in the Pope would see this film, and anyone who is remotely interested in the Pope knows practically everything within it.

What Could Have Been

It’s a shame because Wenders’ abilities and the sheer uniqueness of Pope Francis should have smoothly culminated to a much more dynamic and insightful film. There were countless ways to achieve this without ticking off the Vatican’s PR machine. The Pope’s position as the first Jesuit as well as the first from the Americas, not to mention his fascinating past in which he held odd jobs like being a chemical technologist and a nightclub bouncer, make him an ideal subject for a film attempting to explore the power of faith as an individual as well as collective force in the modern era.

There’s a brief scene in which we meet a nun who knew the Pope in his pre-Cardinal days back in Argentina. It’s a fleeting glimpse at the man before ascending to global fame, but in the context of the film, it’s nothing but a blip. Wenders seems oddly detached from the devout crowds that follow the Pope, many from across the world. Pope Francis is undoubtedly one of the most popular Popes in our lifetime, yet that popularity seems of little interest to Wenders, who doesn’t think to probe those who have been most impacted and inspired by the Pope’s breaking with tradition, as well as his emphasis on interfaith dialogue.

Pope Francis: A Man of His Word: Conclusion

Though no one expected a challenge of the papacy, a little depth to the Pope would have been nice. If you enjoy hearing the Pope speak, and there’s plenty of that here, then this film is certainly worthwhile. But there’s little here that can’t be found on YouTube, and it’s not exactly worth going to the cinema for.

What would you ask the Pope?

Pope Francis: A Man of His Word premiered at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and had a limited U.S. release May 18.