Benedetta (2022)

All the elements of Paul Verhoeven are on display in his latest, a tale of a lesbian nun in seventeenth century Italy. Loosely based on a 1986 non-fiction book ‘Immodest Acts: The Life Of A Lesbian Nun In Renaissance Italy’, the film follows Benedetta Carlini, who as a young girl is taken to a convent in Pescia to become a nun. During the film Benedetta experiences visions of Jesus, one of which ends with her bearing the bloody marks of the stigmata, but are these happenings truly God’s will or the sadistic actions of a disturbed novice nun whose rise throughout the film (and subsequently convent) is the work of the devil? Much like Verhoeven’s entire filmography, Benedetta can be interpreted in numerous ways, it’s probably possible to laugh your way through the film but highly doubtful that one would; you would have to be completely ignorant of the religious text that is at the films center as well as show a basic lack of understanding at Verhoeven’s previous work. It’s based on a true story as well, although the carving of a Virgin Mary statue into a wooden dildo (that is, of course, put to use) that becomes central to proving Benedetta’s guilt stinks of Verhoeven at his most knowingly playful. It’s darkly comedic in fits and starts as you’d expect, and Virginie Efira is exceptional as the titular character, and her relationship with Daphne Patakia’s Bartolomea is as tumultuous as it is erotic. Charlotte Rampling is on fine form as the sour faced Abbess, who is under pressure from her superiors to pass off Benedetta’s visions as truly from God, (Pescia could do with some good news with the plague knocking at its doors) including a typical brash performance from Lambert Wilson as Nuncio Giglioli. The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property has condemned Benedetta as ‘pornographic filth’, which is almost certainly a description from someone who has never heard of Paul Verhoeven, let alone seen another of his films. It’s also just factually incorrect. Verhoeven has clearly done his research, the respectfulness with which the church is treated makes the film soar as a story, and the script, which is excellent, is delivered with the conviction and verve needed to make the whole thing work brilliantly. Benedetta isn’t for everyone; I’ve heard people vehemently disagree with my thoughts on the film; it seems to be splitting viewers right down the middle. You might well be able to offer an opinion on the film straight away, but what I find so addictive about Verhoeven’s film making is that there’s so much to explore in terms of subtext and satire, and I certainly didn’t have a straight answer at the films conclusion. What I did have was a sense of satisfaction that Verhoeven is still the master of this, and Benedetta’s claim in the film that “Shame does not exist under God’s love” is certainly true of the American Society mentioned above. Verhoeven’s done it again, or, if you prefer, Verhoeven’s at it again. 8.1/10