Controversial Netflix Movie Surges Back Into the Top 10 Most Watched Movies

by

A well-known yet somewhat debated Netflix film has reemerged as one of the Top 10 most-watched movies on Netflix this week. The 2019 biological drama under discussion received three Academy Award nominations for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It also boasts an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a score that represents both its critical acclaim and audience approval. While the movie didn’t directly spark controversy, it did have a lingering presence behind its success, potentially casting a shadow at times.

Why is The Two Popes, a film from 2019, still high in Netflix’s most-watched movies list? This could be due to the movie’s relevance following the passing of Pope Francis, who served as the head of the Catholic Church since March 13, 2013 and unfortunately passed away on April 25, 2025, making history as the first Latin American pontiff.

If you’re unfamiliar, “The Two Popes” is a movie that portrays the dynamic between Pope Benedict XVI, who was succeeded by Pope Francis, and Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who later became Pope Francis after being elected to the position.

Fundamentally, The Two Popes isn’t considered one of the most debated films ever made or even from its own era. However, when it was first released in 2019, it did face criticism, mainly due to its historical inconsistencies and fictional elements, such as fabricated dialogues and exaggerated characters. Furthermore, it attracted criticism from certain quarters, particularly the Catholic community, for its depiction of church scandals and its political and ideological stance. Additionally, some found the film’s occasional irreverence inappropriate given the sensitive nature of the subject matter. Naturally, the content itself is steeped in numerous controversies.

After considering everything, the film has regained significance with the demise of Pope Francis, who was 88 years old when he passed away after suffering a stroke that ultimately led to a fatal heart attack.

Currently, the movie is positioned at number 7 on Netflix’s Top 10 Movies list, with only a few titles ahead of it: American Sniper, Oklahoma City Bombing: An American Terror, Woody Woodpecker, The Life List, Life or Something Like It, and Havoc. Whether it will hold this spot next week is yet to be determined.

Individuals who choose to watch The Two Popes, a Netflix production by director Fernando Meirelles, can anticipate a running time of approximately 125 minutes, which is equivalent to 2 hours and 5 minutes.

To stay updated on everything Netflix – from the newest announcements, gossips, and secrets, to exclusive deals – just follow this link.

Read More

2025-05-04 18:53