Intro: I wanted to see this movie for a long time, but I never found the right moment. A month ago Simon came to my place to watch something and, when I recommended this one, he was almost immediately on board. But I think we both weren't ready for what was to come...
Film 2477: "Benedetta" (2021), Paul Verhoeven
Watched: From the computer
Language: French
Watched with: Simon
Thoughts: Possibly one of the wildest movies I've ever seen.
From the lesbian affair in the convent to the naked Jesus with no penis and the wooden dildo used as proof to accuse the title character, "Benedetta" is definitely a crazy ride. Not a bad one, I actually quite enjoyed the film, but it definitely caught me by surprise. To some comedic effect, at times.
Specifically, I think the comedic element of the story was mainly enhanced in my case by the subtitles, which were clearly not professionally made. I don't speak French fluently, but I do understand some bits and I could tell that the dialogue wasn't properly translated. Oftentimes a sentence would be translated literally from French in a way that wouldn't make any sense in English, which added a ridiculous tone to certain scenes. It was frustrating at first, but we decided to keep them on because of how absurd the whole thing eventually got. So, not the proper way to experience this movie, but one impossible to forget.
In a world of biopics that take themselves extremely seriously, I think Verhoeven clearly leaned into the absurdity of this story and ran with it. From IMDb's logline: "A 17th-century nun in Italy suffers from disturbing religious and erotic visions. She is assisted by a companion, and the relationship between the two women develops into a romantic love affair."
It's clear from the get-go that this isn't your typical religious movie tale: Benedetta (Virginie Efira) is a nun who rarely wears any clothes, has a lesbian love affair, speaks to Jesus, fakes stigmata, dies and resurrects—while her lover (Daphné Patakia) carves a wooden dildo... And these are just some of the more extreme examples of what the story throws at you. If you're up for the challenge, it's definitely a refreshing watch. It doesn't happen often that a movie showcases its most controversial elements in such a candid way: literally, what you see is what you get. It's crude, but not exploitative, as Verhoeven definitely displays a voyeuristic tone in his films ("Basic Instinct", "Showgirls", "Elle"), while clearly caring about his female characters. And although the sexual element is quite prominent, it never completely takes over the plot. Benedetta's story arc is defined, clear, and coherent, never compromised in favor of the sexual scenes. Obviously I can't be sure how much of what is shown matches the true story of the real Benedetta Carlini—I'm quite sure a great deal of artistic license was taken—but all in all I really didn't mind the wild direction this movie takes. At least, in its own way, it's a memorable cinematic experience.
Cast: Virginie Efira, Charlotte Rampling, Daphné Patakia, Lambert Wilson, Olivier Rabourdin, Louise Chevillotte, Hervé Pierre, Clotilde Courau.
Box Office: $4.3 million
Worth a watch?: Not your usual biopic, "Benedetta" is a film that would shock many viewers, but could be a great ride for some. It's definitely way too long (132 minutes) and some bits could've been cut out, but if you're up for it and you're ready to be entertained, this is surely a film that delivers.
Awards: In competition for the Palme d'Or and the Queer Palm at the 74th Cannes Film Festival. 1 nomination at the César for Best Actress (Virginie Efira).
Key word: Dildo.
Trailer
#HollywoodCiak
Bengi
Watched: From the computer
Language: French
Watched with: Simon
Thoughts: Possibly one of the wildest movies I've ever seen.
From the lesbian affair in the convent to the naked Jesus with no penis and the wooden dildo used as proof to accuse the title character, "Benedetta" is definitely a crazy ride. Not a bad one, I actually quite enjoyed the film, but it definitely caught me by surprise. To some comedic effect, at times.
Specifically, I think the comedic element of the story was mainly enhanced in my case by the subtitles, which were clearly not professionally made. I don't speak French fluently, but I do understand some bits and I could tell that the dialogue wasn't properly translated. Oftentimes a sentence would be translated literally from French in a way that wouldn't make any sense in English, which added a ridiculous tone to certain scenes. It was frustrating at first, but we decided to keep them on because of how absurd the whole thing eventually got. So, not the proper way to experience this movie, but one impossible to forget.
In a world of biopics that take themselves extremely seriously, I think Verhoeven clearly leaned into the absurdity of this story and ran with it. From IMDb's logline: "A 17th-century nun in Italy suffers from disturbing religious and erotic visions. She is assisted by a companion, and the relationship between the two women develops into a romantic love affair."
It's clear from the get-go that this isn't your typical religious movie tale: Benedetta (Virginie Efira) is a nun who rarely wears any clothes, has a lesbian love affair, speaks to Jesus, fakes stigmata, dies and resurrects—while her lover (Daphné Patakia) carves a wooden dildo... And these are just some of the more extreme examples of what the story throws at you. If you're up for the challenge, it's definitely a refreshing watch. It doesn't happen often that a movie showcases its most controversial elements in such a candid way: literally, what you see is what you get. It's crude, but not exploitative, as Verhoeven definitely displays a voyeuristic tone in his films ("Basic Instinct", "Showgirls", "Elle"), while clearly caring about his female characters. And although the sexual element is quite prominent, it never completely takes over the plot. Benedetta's story arc is defined, clear, and coherent, never compromised in favor of the sexual scenes. Obviously I can't be sure how much of what is shown matches the true story of the real Benedetta Carlini—I'm quite sure a great deal of artistic license was taken—but all in all I really didn't mind the wild direction this movie takes. At least, in its own way, it's a memorable cinematic experience.
Cast: Virginie Efira, Charlotte Rampling, Daphné Patakia, Lambert Wilson, Olivier Rabourdin, Louise Chevillotte, Hervé Pierre, Clotilde Courau.
Box Office: $4.3 million
Worth a watch?: Not your usual biopic, "Benedetta" is a film that would shock many viewers, but could be a great ride for some. It's definitely way too long (132 minutes) and some bits could've been cut out, but if you're up for it and you're ready to be entertained, this is surely a film that delivers.
Awards: In competition for the Palme d'Or and the Queer Palm at the 74th Cannes Film Festival. 1 nomination at the César for Best Actress (Virginie Efira).
Key word: Dildo.
Trailer
#HollywoodCiak
Bengi
