THE STORY – In the heart of the 17th century, one man speaks of God as no one has ever done before: Friar Leopoldo da Casamacchia. While the Church preaches in Latin, Leopoldo tells the Gospel with a contagious joy that offers relief and hope. He speaks of a God who is close to humanity, a God who can laugh alongside them. The echo of his voice reaches Rome, where it is seen as a threat by those who govern through fear.
THE CAST – Pierfrancesco Favino, Silvio Orlando, Alma Noce, Francesco Gheghi, Maurizio Lombardi, Paolo Rossi & Carlo Cecchi
THE TEAM – Giovanni Veronesi (Director/Writer) & Nicola Baldoni, Gianluca Bernardini, and Nicola Deorsola (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 114 Minutes
The Catholic Church is perhaps the oldest functioning institution in the world, so it’s no wonder nobody can quite agree on how it should be run. For centuries, religious scholars have debated the most pressing issues of Christianity. Does God really exist? Did Jesus really rise from the dead? And yet, many Catholic officials have historically been more interested in the seemingly trivial questions that dictate so much of religious practice. How often should believers pray? Should religious people use contraception? Should a man marry another man? There’s a fundamental dissonance between the truth of spirituality and the way religious institutions enforce these divine rules upon their followers, and Giovanni Veronesi’s “God Laughs” brings the morality of that practice into question.
At the heart of “God Laughs” is Leopoldo da Casamacchia (Pierfrancesco Favino), a beloved preacher who travels across Italy telling religious parables to his followers with a unique theatrical flair. Leopoldo quickly develops a cult following of Catholics who want to experience the spirit of the bible without the institutional pressure that comes with belief; they want to hear the story of Lazarus rising from the dead as a twisted zombie comedy, or the story of Peter walking on the Sea of Galilee with Leopoldo’s less-than-successful demonstration. But when the Pope becomes aware of Casamacchia’s heretical teachings, he sends a determined cardinal to force him to repent for his sins.
Beyond the crucial ideas that it presents about the role of religion and its evolution throughout the centuries, “God Laughs” is also a very compelling character study that knows exactly how to suck the audience into a gripping story through lovable characters, high-stakes tension, and complex philosophical questions. Leopoldo da Casamacchia is a brilliant protagonist; his charm and humor make him immediately empathetic for the audience, and his eventual oppression by the Catholic Church becomes increasingly tragic as viewers grow more and more attached to him.
Much of this comes down to Pierfrancesco Favino’s staggering lead performance, which blends comedy and tragedy with a thespian stoicism. He’s funny when he needs to be, vulnerable when the screenplay demands, and genuinely chilling throughout the emotionally charged final act. It’s through his perspective that we experience the entire story, and it’s of paramount importance that his performance is open and transparent enough for viewers to empathize with his views on the church, spirituality, and religious practice. He’s a clear highlight of the film, and it would be a shock if his name wasn’t mentioned again later this year during awards season.
“God Laughs” may seem like a quite cold and impenetrable story at first, with some very hefty ideas about religion, existence, and morality, but Veronesi effectively breaks down these ideas into very digestible chunks through his warm, approachable writing. It never feels like he’s dumbing down the film’s crucial ideas for the audience, but it also feels like he’s taking extreme care not to isolate the viewer with too many thought-provoking ideas at once. He doesn’t just make his characters say the words he wants the audience to hear, but rather allows them to come to these conclusions on their own through precise, effective writing that’s driven by allegory and social commentary.
Despite some of the dark turns that Veronesi’s film takes, “God Laughs” is a very effective crowdpleaser. We have a clear figure to root for, a corrupt organization to root against, and an obvious goal that we’re moving toward. The structure is very recognizable and familiar, but never in a way that feels repetitive or dull. Instead, it’s full of life, brimming with things to say about the world around us, and confident in its execution of that commentary. “God Laughs” doesn’t necessarily feel like the kind of film that will break out with international audiences, but it definitely deserves to, not just because of the forward-thinking ideas that it presents, but simply because of the impressive level of craftsmanship on display.
“God Laughs” is an unexpected highlight from this year’s Venice Film Festival, but a very welcome one. There’s something very compelling about this outwardly positive story; the film isn’t afraid to linger in moments of darkness and cynicism, but always comes out the other side full of optimism for the world around us. It may be set almost four centuries ago, but its story could not feel more relevant and timely if it tried.
