The Pope Must Diet
The Pope Must Diet
R | 30 August 1991 (USA)
The Pope Must Diet Trailers

A less-than-qualified and far-from-perfect priest is mistakenly named the new pope. As the pontiff, he must deal with Vatican corruption, the Mob and the reappearance of his old lover.

Reviews
Cleveronix

A different way of telling a story

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PiraBit

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

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Lidia Draper

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

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Leoni Haney

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

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O2D

I heard the story of them changing the title of this movie and without even seeing it, I was very upset that they would give into pressure from a church and change the name. After seeing the movie, it's clear that if you have a problem with the title, you are a humorless turd.It's funny that the church never complained about the mob picking the Pope. Starring Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid from Harry Potter) and Beverly D'Angelo and written by Peter Richardson(the man behind The Comic Strip Presents), this movie is hilarious and action packed. The mob is picking the new Pope and a hard of hearing clerk(Adrian Edmondson,Vyvyan from The Young Ones)hears the name wrong and a guitar playing priest from an orphanage becomes the new Pope. The only way to get rid of him is to kill him. Wackiness ensues. This is a must see.

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John Frame

I recently hired a VHS of the Comic Strip feature film "The Pope Must Die" (starring Robbie Coltrane), which unapologetically presents the premise that the Vatican is run by dolts and scheming money-grabbing opportunists, some of whom are backed by the mafia.The plot revolves around the consequences of a clerical error which caused a totally incorruptible and highly compassionate priest to be elected as Pope. When the Pope attempts to give all the Vatican's riches to help the poor, his fate is sealed. This film may be a comedy - but it's easy to suspect that there are large elements of truth involved. That being said - there is no attempt by the film-makers to portray the rank and file clergy as anything less than good people doing their charitable best in the world.I am amazed at the convincing (to my untravelled eye) locations that were secured by the producers for the interior shots.Paul Bartel turns in one of his best performances - on par with Robbie Coltrane. It's not a perfect script or plot, but the errors are few and this film has plenty of heart.

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gypolanc

This film is truly hilarious. Some people mightn't like it, but if you're Catholic and fairly broadminded, it's a scream. Annette Crosbie as the nun, and Ade Edmundson as the deaf Priest are the best performers- save for Herbert Lom and Robbie Coltrane who really make this movie come alive.

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kellaway84

Contrary to the other reviewer's views this film was not made by bigots or those intent on stirring up religious hatred, but rather a light satire of the inner workings of the Vatican. It is a film that should not be taken too seriously.Coltrane is as lovable as ever as the lowly priest who becomes the pope due to a typing error, and starts to clamp down on the mafia's involvement, though his efforts are put to an end when it is revealed he fathered a love child in his earlier life, he is then forced to try and stop the mafia from planting their own pope.The stock British actors pull the film off with gentle gags, and where acting is cheesey is where the film blatantly doesnt take itself seriously....we're talking about a depiction of the vatican with a stock of Turin shrouds being sold in the crypt!!Not the greatest comedy ever but still worth a look.

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