Operating from a purely aesthetic point of view, Catholicism is the most dramatic of the Christian sects. The Catholic mass is, essentially, immersive theatre, down to incorporating a signature scent (incense) and musical numbers (hymns.) Catholicism is full of emphasis on procedure and ceremony: things are done because that’s how they’ve always been done, even if they look odd.
That’s part of why there’s a long, enduring relationship between the papacy and Hollywood. Where it’s The Young Pope, The New Pope, or The Two Popes, the mysterious goings-on behind the Vatican walls will always be fascinating. A recent movie now streaming on Peacock takes both the Catholic habit of ceremony and the Hollywood habit of pope drama and stretches both to their absolute limit, creating an edge-of-your-seat cinematic experience that will have you gasping, even if you’re watching alone in your living room.
