Benedetta is a testament to uncompromising vision. Much like George Miller, Paul Verhoeven’s stamina to continually appease himself is remarkable. Having started out producing films in the Netherlands, to his 80’s blockbuster stint in the U.S., he now conquers France with his diabolical taste.
The film centers around Benedetta, a nun in a convent who is so convinced she is ordained by God, that she suffers from visions of Jesus Christ himself resulting in real world consequences such as stigmata and cuts on the forehead as if she donned Christ’s thorn crown herself. She then comes into the responsibility of Bartolomea, a girl seeking refuge in the convent from her abusive father, with whom she begins a passionate affair. However, the surrounding nuns soon grow suspicious, suspecting that Benedetta’s visions of Christ is all just an act, that is until she’s appointed abbess, sparking envy amongst the nuns.
The acting is well internalized, as if these characters truly believe that it is God punishing them due to the plague ravaging Europe. The conflict is apparent in every scene, using the theme of “suffering” as its story engine. The film asks, “What does it mean to suffer?” Is it us who must suffer? Or suffer at the expense of others in order to achieve salvation? As the tension and pressure rises, including the classic narrative device of a wooden Virgin Mary dildo, the film erupts into a third act that’s easily the highlight of the film. It is a masterclass in screenwriting and casting, using its buoyancy to create an ebb-and-flow narrative. It’s never enough to see our protagonist suffer, but to see other characters suffer at the expense of our protagonist’s delusions. The film plays on the line of “Does God want us to suffer?” And “doesn’t God want us to truly be happy?”
Going into this film, this writer has to admit that they were a bit skeptical: a religious drama, a period piece, with a lesbian sub-plot… it all seemed like homework to me. Benedetta, however, is not one of those films. Every story element of the film adds to the plot, making it an enjoyable, tense, and easily digestible film.