Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- witty
- anxious
- contemplative
- thoughtful movie night
- arthouse viewing
What critics said
Critics generally found the film well-written, inventive, and humane, praising its mainstream comedy and craft while finding its finale disappointing.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Melville’s panic and refusal of the papal office expose the emotional limits of the conclave and Vatican hierarchy.
The cardinals’ panic, improvised interventions, and failed attempts to present certainty create humor within the Vatican.
Melville is elected Pope yet cannot appear before the faithful or accept the responsibility attached to the role.
The conclave, Vatican interiors, and waiting crowds frame Melville’s unseen crisis behind institutional walls.
Films like We Have a Pope, and why
The Mass Is Ended
shared blend of humane comedy, institutional absurdity, spiritual doubt, and an introspective central character
The Caiman
shared italian dramedy sensibility, psychological unease, self-doubt, and tension between public identity and private crisis
The Brand New Testament
shared satirical treatment of political or religious institutions, ensemble absurdity, and warmly skeptical tone
Movie Details
- Director
- Nanni Moretti
- Release Date
- 2011-04-15
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (606)
Cast
- Michel Piccoli
- Nanni Moretti
- Margherita Buy
- Jerzy Stuhr
- Renato Scarpa
- Franco Graziosi
- Camillo Milli
- Roberto Nobile
- Ulrich von Dobschütz
- Erik Merino
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is We Have a Pope about?
- A newly elected cardinal’s terror of becoming Pope turns Vatican ceremony into an unexpectedly humane comedy of responsibility and self-doubt.
- What is We Have a Pope like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of We Have a Pope as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is We Have a Pope violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in We Have a Pope.
- What did critics think of We Have a Pope?
- Critics generally found the film well-written, inventive, and humane, praising its mainstream comedy and craft while finding its finale disappointing.
- Which films are like We Have a Pope?
- Films with a similar feel include The Mass Is Ended, The Caiman, and The Brand New Testament.
- How long is We Have a Pope?
- We Have a Pope runs 105 minutes.
- Where can I watch We Have a Pope?
- In United States, We Have a Pope streams on Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now.
