El Baño del Papa (The Pope's Toilet) poster & wallpaper
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César Troncoso, Virginia Méndez, Mario Silva, José Arce, Virginia Ruíz ... see more see more... , Henry De Leon , Rodrigo dos Santos , Nelson Lence , Alex Silva , Baltasar Burgos , Carlos Lerena , Aníbal Santos Núñez , Marcelo Ornes , Wally Abreo , Paula Larruina , Carlos Lissardy , Hugo Blandamuro , William Aceredo , Emilio Pica , Lindolfo Aeske , Cynthia Sylveira , Pablo Solano , Rosana Villa , Yolanda Mederos , Brandon Antuña , Jessica Tiscornia , Rolando Izquierdo , Carlos Andrade , Andrea Álvarezs , Jorge Manzilla , Julia Romero Stoppiello , Angélica Silvera , Marlene Vilela , Diego De Silva , Tonatan Da Silva , Marcos Mier , Walter Ferreira , Jorge Almeida , Romulo Ortiz , Raul Olivera , Víctor Pérez , Mirta Machado

Uruguayan directors César Chalone and Enrique Fernández co-helm the nutty Spanish-language farce El Baño del Papa (The Pope's Toilet). The film unfolds in 1988, during Pope John Paul II's visit to Uru... read more read more...guay. While dozens of economically struggling locals devise plans to turn a buck from the arrival of the papal father -- such as baking cakes and wrapping chorizo sausages -- only one concocts a scheme to earn a fortune from defecation. Beto, a nickel-and-dime smuggler, reasons that all of those cakes and sausages will be digested rather quickly and that over 50,000 locals will soon be clamoring to use the porcelain bowl. Of course, toilets abound in South America, but Beto sets his public toilet apart by crowning it with an aura of prestige -- his will be the only Pope's Toilet in all of Uruguay, and residents, he is certain, will soon be clamoring to use it. Unfortunately, before he can set his scheme in motion, Beto must first locate the most appropriate toilet and make several risky trips across the Brazilian border and back to that end. Then, just as Beto is within arm's reach of success, someone thoughtlessly steals his beloved bicycle -- further hampering his mission. Regardless of the complications at hand, however, Beto's determination persists. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Flixster Users

77% liked it

4,134 ratings

Critics

88% liked it

25 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 25 min.

Directed by: César Charlone, Enrique Fernández

Release Date: May 21, 2007

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DVD Release Date: April 14, 2009

Stats: 184 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (184)

  • gator681
    September 25, 2010
    gator681
    In "The Pope's Toilet," to make ends meet, Beto(Cesar Troncoso) smuggles goods across the Brazilian border by bicycle where on one trip his pal and fellow smuggler Valvulina(Mario Silva) is unlucky to have his goods confiscated by their nemesis, Meleyo(Nelson Lence). Anyway, Bet... read moreo is not getting any younger and would like his teenaged daughter Silvia(Virginia Ruiz), a wannabe journalism student, to join in the family business but his wife Carmen(Virginia Mendez) violently disagrees. This is all towards buying a motorbike which would make his job that much easier, especially with his knee acting up. His bad knee also forces him to take the low road on a run which leads to an unfortunate run-in with customs. But the Pope is coming to visit and Beto has a plan...

    Inspired by a real story, "The Pope's Toilet" is a heartfelt movie about a poor community that is hampered by the arbitrary nature of borders and authority that preys on the weak. So, you can understand that they see a huge opportunity when the Pope comes to visit. For the faithful, this means spiritual but most see it as a chance to make money to at least temporarily lift them out of poverty. And some wonder if it is right to make money off the Pope's visit. But, then, they do not have any choice, do they? And what's more important, anyway?
  • Jossepi
    October 21, 2009
    Jossepi
    This movie is a GEM! The story is filmed based on a true event that happened in 1988 when the Pope visited Melo, Uruguay. It's beautiful, sad, inspiring, truthful, funny and angry. Superb music! EXCELLENT acting! A must watch!
  • catlyst
    April 27, 2012
    catlyst
    The struggles of the poor in an Uruguayan border village where smuggling involves transporting groceries on shockless bikes through muddy rivers. This black comedy carries a much weightier tale of struggling to live hand to mouth and unrealised hopes of escape from the (bi)cycle ... read moreof poverty. It was a bit strange that the pre-film screening was a promotional snippet on the modern, fun and eco-friendly side of Uruguay.

View All El Baño del Papa (The Pope's Toilet) Reviews

Critic Reviews

V.A. Musetto
April 10, 2009
V.A. Musetto, New York Post

The cast of pros and amateurs provides realistic performances, and co-director Charlone's lensing makes beautiful use of the rough landscape in a movie even the pope would enjoy. Full Review

Jeannette Catsoulis
April 8, 2009
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times

The Pope's Toilet cloaks religious critique in the scrappy tempo of irremediable poverty and irrepressible enterprise. Full Review

Aaron Hillis
April 8, 2009
Aaron Hillis, Village Voice

The Pope's Toilet entertains, even while it illustrates how the impoverished can adjust their religious ideals out of desperation. Full Review

Walter V. Addiego
January 30, 2009
Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle

The movie isn't as bad as I feared, but I can't give it much of an endorsement, either. Full Review

Robert Koehler
October 22, 2008
Robert Koehler, Variety

The Pope's Toilet excels most in its expression of a particular time and place, which Charlone films with the kind of physical intensity and realism associated with recent Argentine cinema. Full Review

Matthew Nestel
June 18, 2009
Matthew Nestel, Boxoffice Magazine

Despite the sensationalism of Holy Father's arrival, the subtext here is that there's a speck on the map whose poor are treated as well as a backed-up john. Full Review

Donald J. Levit
April 19, 2009
Donald J. Levit, ReelTalk Movie Reviews

A celebration of hope, humor and resilience among the humble and only secondarily a dig at media distortion and the disconnect between the Church and the poor. Full Review

David Fear
April 8, 2009
David Fear, Time Out New York

Watch it now, and you'll be surprised how such a little movie can cut so deeply to the bone. Full Review

Frank Ochieng
April 7, 2009
Frank Ochieng, Movie Eye

Although not the best imaginative movie title ever to grace a matinee sign, The Pope's Toilet resonates with a distinctive warmth and sense of reality and purpose.

Robert Roten
March 30, 2009
Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope

Not as funny as the title would suggest. Full Review

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