I was not expecting much reverence for the subject matter in a film by Abel Ferrara, whose latest film was about the Vatican blowing up. Ferrara seems to be his own audience these days.
Nevertheless, Shia Labeouf's publicized conversion to Catholicism did spark some interest (though I thought he already did this for "Fury"). However, my nose was still very well plugged, and it remained so. This is not a biography. It is just empty, with no real direction in story, nor any perceivable goal. The shark in "Jaws" was better utilized than Saint Pio was in this film; at least the shark was central to the plot, and his presence was felt- even when he was offscreen.
Ferrara's other films are brutal, unrelenting, dark and negative, and yet utilize Catholic imagery as little more than window dressing. Such is the case with this film, only its also part of the title. Don't waste your time. Watch "Padre Pio: Miracle Man" or "Padre Pio: Between Heaven and Earth," instead.
