'The New Pope' Episode 3: Sir John Brannox accepts his new role as John Paul III despite the contradictions
Paolo Sorrentino's latest 'The New Pope' could undoubtedly be called one of his best, thanks to its many intrigues.
While the previous two episodes introduced us to Sir John Brannox (John Malkovich) as a characterful advocate, the latest offering saw him as moderate, whose views are believed to restore order in the Vatican.
However, amid the long speeches and outrageous jokes, Sir John's quiet contradicting personality stands out, as only he masters the art of both obliviating and imparting wisdom at the same time.
Episode 3 opens with Sir John revisiting his childhood memories, as he stares blankly at his humongous estate in northern England, with only a little time left until he makes his mind about accepting the Cardinals' offer to become the next Pope of Rome.
Meanwhile, the cardinals anticipating Sir John's decision, discuss with Voiello the other options, if their only potential candidate chooses not to head the church.
While Sofia Dubois and the rest of the Cardinals are willing to consider Hernandez, the Secretary of the State is determined about having Sir John as the supreme Pontiff.
Despite several doubts about his abilities, following a close examination of the crippling sorrows in his life and the world in general, Sir John decides to accept the offer from the Church to step in as the new Pope of Rome.
Moments before bidding farewell to his life as a royal, which was mostly bogged down by unspeakable disappointments, the would-be pope pours his heart out before his parents and says all his life was nothing but a pathetic attempt to alleviate their suffering.
He who was never seen speaking ill of his parents besides expressing the amount of pain they inflicted on him, calls them "poor old bastards", before drawing the curtain on his old life.
The rest of the episode sees Sir John become John Paul III, as the college of Cardinals elect him the next pope.
We are introduced to a fragile man who is looking for an ounce of affection in his service of God. While the new pope's predecessor extensively spoke about dedicating one selflessly to God, John Paul III preaches tenderness without passion. As a moderate, he believes in truth and growing together by eliminating prejudices.
Unlike Pius XIII, whose focus throughout his reign remained unhindered, the new pope juggles between not only his thoughts but also the opinion of God.
"God doesn't like me," he says, wanly in Pius XIII's (Jude Law) presence, nevertheless accepting the role which is supposed to bring him closer to the divine power more than any other entity, even while he feels he is not equal to the task.
For someone who has suffered for the majority of his life, he talks about eliminating suffering by discovering the truth. Does that mean he is yet to discover what's within him? Will the new pope's life of contradictions thwart his desire to work towards the betterment of the Church?
'The New Pope' airs on Mondays on HBO.
