Despite the historical events and perhaps leading characters personal dark and heavy route towards becoming who he was that does not mean they film needs to also be so dark.
It seems that lately films are more and more separated into fluff and pop corn blockbusters and then you have these heavy "artistic" or religious or quasi intellectual films where they examine certain characters or events. So that after the viewers and producers can pat each other on the back how smart and deep their introspection is.
While not too long ago, directors knew how to interweave complex, dark or troublesome events with light, with entertainment , with charismatic characters to offput that or moments to balance it out. Intellectual and dark doesnt mean it needs to be heavy and difficult to watch.
Very very few know how to do this nowadays, Lebeoufs films never do. They are just plain dark and uncomfortable to watch. Especially ones like this, where they (unfortunately only) focus on the most heavy part of his journey to becoming Padre Pio everyone knows.
