Benedetta

Name: Benedetta
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Romance
Released: December 3, 2021
Duration: 131 min
Rating: 73
Cast: Alexia Chardard, Charlotte Rampling, Clotilde Courau, Daphne Patakia, David Clavel

2021

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Generally favorable reviews based on 38 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 33 Ratings

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7.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 33 Ratings

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Benedetta

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Movie Details & Credits

IFC Films | Release Date: December 3, 2021 | TV-MA

Starring: Alexia Chardard, Charlotte Rampling, Clotilde Courau, Daphne Patakia, David Clavel, Guilaine Londez, Hervé Pierre, Lambert Wilson, Louise Chevillotte, Olivier Rabourdin, Quentin D'Hainaut, Satya Dusaugey, Virginie Efira

Summary: In the late 17th century, with plague ravaging the land, Benedetta Carlini joins the convent in Pescia, Tuscany, as a novice. Capable from an early age of performing miracles, Benedetta's impact on life in the community is immediate and momentous.

Director: Paul Verhoeven

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, History, Romance

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 131 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Mick LaSalle

Nov 30, 2021

Benedetta continues Verhoeven’s strong run with as good a movie as he’s ever made. Read full review

Justin Chang

Dec 3, 2021

Verhoeven clearly wants us to laugh; the movie’s a gas. But he doesn’t mind if we think too — about the earthy realities of the body, the higher abstractions of the soul and all the thornily ambiguous ways they do and don’t connect. Read full review

Katie Rife

Dec 2, 2021

Belgian movie star Virginie Efira plays the title character with complete conviction, whether she’s kneeling in awe before the Virgin Mary or being pleasured with a dildo carved out of a statue of the Blessed Mother. Read full review

The Telegraph Tim Robey

Jul 9, 2021

As a statement, Benedetta won’t win any awards for coherence, but there’s just Too Much Verhoeven going on here for sensation hunters ever to feel short-changed. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Dec 9, 2021

Fascinating, garish, and compelling even with an overlong 130-odd minute running time, Benedetta dabbles in some of Verhoeven’s career-long weaknesses while highlighting a great many of his strengths. Read full review

Pat Brown

Jul 9, 2021

Throughout Benedetta, Paul Verhoeven builds up a heady, campy mix of religious imagery, corporeal abjectness, and masochism. Read full review

Mark Kennedy

Dec 1, 2021

There is perhaps an intriguing movie here somewhere — “Who decides what is God’s will?” is one lingering question —but to find it you have to slice away all the bawdy and ultra-violent excesses that are clearly intended to push buttons, like a 5-year-old testing her parents’ patience. Yawn. Read full review

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User Reviews

Habibiehakim

Dec 3, 2021

Benedetta is a story that might already sounds familiar, but it's not, it's more than just a story, it's a fascinating and powerful story that superbly well perform, well craft, and well directed, arranging drama and romance comparable, Benedetta it's a powerful true story in a very powerfulBenedetta is a story that might already sounds familiar, but it's not, it's more than just a story, it's a fascinating and powerful story that superbly well perform, well craft, and well directed, arranging drama and romance comparable, Benedetta it's a powerful true story in a very powerful religion, and the movie itself for me is one of 2021 Masterpiece, i highly recommended.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

davemelbourne58

Dec 7, 2021

Poor misunderstood Benedetta. This movie was a fever dream, and I can see why the Catholic Church has their panties all balled up in a wad. Benedetta is all about true love and forgiveness. And some hot lesbian nun action as well.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

bertobellamy

Jan 21, 2022

'Benedetta' is a slap in the face of religious hypocrisy.

Paul Verhoeven delivers a no holds barred film that points at the rotten values of catholicism, those that reek of evilness and hate since ancient times. The film follows a nun who claims to perform miracles in the name of Jesus.'Benedetta' is a slap in the face of religious hypocrisy.

Paul Verhoeven delivers a no holds barred film that points at the rotten values of catholicism, those that reek of evilness and hate since ancient times.

The film follows a nun who claims to perform miracles in the name of Jesus. But when she starts a forbidden relationship with a fellow nun, and the authenticity of her divine work is questioned, the Church promptly moves against her.

Benedetta, the character, embodies pure feminism. By defying the religious rules imposed by the abbess and later the nuncio, she rebels against sanctimony, deception, and the fact that we have to suffer in this life no matter what.

Some might say that Verhoeven unnecessarily exposes too much of the woman's body in here, But, again, nudity becomes the ultimate weapon against those who call themselves pure and worthy.

The best part is that story leaves the protagonist's true identity open. Is Benedetta a fraud or truly a godsend? Whatever the case is, she uses her body to destroy the religious constructs that threaten to shackle her for life.

And if this isn't enough to catch your interest, there's a **** carved from a Holy Mary statue. You can't say no to that.

I'd recommend watching this back to back with 'Saint Maud' and Pasolini's 'The Canterbury Tales."… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TVJerry

Dec 4, 2021

This is based on true events during the 17th century in Tuscany. A young nun seemingly has visions that have made her revered in her village, but her love affair with another nun created a controversy with the church. Paul Verhoeven, who directed Basic Instinct and Showgirls, certainly has aThis is based on true events during the 17th century in Tuscany. A young nun seemingly has visions that have made her revered in her village, but her love affair with another nun created a controversy with the church. Paul Verhoeven, who directed Basic Instinct and Showgirls, certainly has a track record for cinematic erotica and he’s in full force here (not to mention a few minor moments of violence…he also helmed Total Recall and Robocop). The conflicts between Benedetta’s devotion to Jesus and her personal desires provide a nuanced and compelling character study, while examining the power and reach of the Catholic church. (In French with subtitles)… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

arostislavna

Dec 8, 2021

Immidiately from the opening scenes the set feels artificial, and lacks the extras to make it believable. It is only until Benedetta goes to the sisterhood that the set becomes more natural.

The story itself is erratic, and tough to follow along, and because of that it becomes a Lesbian ofImmidiately from the opening scenes the set feels artificial, and lacks the extras to make it believable. It is only until Benedetta goes to the sisterhood that the set becomes more natural.

The story itself is erratic, and tough to follow along, and because of that it becomes a Lesbian of God taboo proto-porn - and well, frankly... texts and documentation from the 17th century probably were just as descriptive about Benedetta's sexuality then too.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

JLuis_001

Dec 23, 2021

I can't help but wonder how does it work when a film is trying in every possible and obvious way to be provocative and disruptive, and yet fails to achieve that goal for the simple but crucial reason that the viewer is simply not impressed or shocked by it?

Therefore, another importantI can't help but wonder how does it work when a film is trying in every possible and obvious way to be provocative and disruptive, and yet fails to achieve that goal for the simple but crucial reason that the viewer is simply not impressed or shocked by it?

Therefore, another important question arises: Are its qualities more valuable to viewers who are shocked by its subject matter and images?

And if so, is that a strength of the film for those viewers, or a weakness for others like me?
I'm confused.

Paul Verhoeven delivers a sufficiently polished film. Especially in its visual aspects, even in the face of the apparent simplicity of its mise-en-scène but basically its qualities outside of that, neither provoke a real reaction, nor say anything noteworthy.
Or at least I admit it didn't in my case.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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