By José Alberto Hermosillo
The journey of Padre begins with a series of long mêlées between his imaginary mentor and himself, which culminate in possession. In these internal battles, we learn about Pio’s true feelings—mainly guilt over being unable to continue fighting in the war because of his fragile health.
After the war, as Italy prepared to celebrate its first free election, the country was divided by hunger and greed. Russian ideologies, as espoused by Lenin and Trotsky, influenced some educated people; however, a social revolution was not part of the Italian reality.
The socialist convinced hungry soldiers, farmers, and their families to join their party. In contrast, wealthy landlords, political leaders, and fascist tyrants felt threatened by the rebellious people. They sought to maintain their power and preserve their land and traditional beliefs. Moving forward, “Padre Pio” is a theoretical film about faith and the paradoxes of people’s destinies.
In the film, as in modern times, worshippers are not inspired by faith. They follow the man, flesh, and human nature. Remember the words of Jesus, “You will work until you become dust.”
According to Pio, he was born four times. The first was from his mother. The second was when he received baptism. The third was when he answered the call to join the Franciscan order. The fourth was when the Lord visited him.
Shia LaBeouf’s performance is flawless and insightful. After stepping away from major Hollywood blockbusters like “Transformers,” “Indiana Jones,” “Disturbia,” and “Lawless,” he has become an actor who enjoys taking risks, writing, performing, and producing independent films. A clear example of his bold choices is his role in the semi-autobiographical, child-actor drama “Honey Boy.” However, his involvement in other edgy films such as “Pieces of a Woman” and the Latinx gangster flick “The Tax Collector” has earned him respect, and he is now taking on more serious roles.
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| Marco Leonardi as Gerardo in “Padre Pio.” |
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| Salvatore Ruocco interpreta Vincenzo in “Padre PIO.” |
“Padre Pio” cannot escape controversy by avoiding a full biopic of the polemical Italian priest’s life, which includes the miracles attributed to him, the hospital he built, the thousands who followed him, his sermons during Mass, and the suffering he endured on numerous occasions at the hands of the Vatican.
The German-Italian co-production, in English, unfolds with a stark lack of sentimentality within a disjointed structure, making the three storylines easy to relate to our daily lives.
The simplicity of the film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2022, is comparable to other religious and social works, such as Pier Paolo Pasolini’s “The Gospel According to St. Matthew/Il vangelo secondo Matteo,’ and Giuseppe Tornatore’s “The Star Maker’ (“Cinema Paradiso”). Additionally, it resonates with the human struggle depicted in ‘Canoa: A Shameful Memory,” a true story about the lynching of students in Canoa, Puebla, Mexico. Lastly, the 1985 Oscar-nominated Mexican film “Letters from Marusia’ tells the story of struggling Chilean miners who sought to unionize but were crushed by authorities.
“Padre Pio” does not aim to preach religion, but it can serve as a reflection of our current times. For some, the film’s stark absence of God might signal the coming of the Anti-Christ.
“Padre Pio” questions the genuine meaning of trust in the beloved Italian saint and vividly depicts events in San Giovanni Rotondo. The film is remarkable and far from a “Hallmark movie,” but what viewers choose to believe is up to each person.
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