The Pope's Toilet

El Bano del Papa is the story about the historic visit of Pope John Paul to Uruguay, and the subsequent financial opportunities the people believed it would bestow. 

When "Papa" proclaimed he would be paying the poverty-embedded country a visit, every villager in the small town of Melo goes into full entrepreneurial mode, enticed by the expected hordes of Brazilians Catholics set to descend on the small and overlooked town.  

One such villager is Beto, a man who works as a courier of contraband from Brazil to Uruguay via bicycle.  His bicycle has seen better days, as well as Beto himself, and he is hounded by the Army and other so-called officials who make his life as difficult as possible.

Along with Beto is a cast of his friends, who are also couriers for contraband.

There is also Beto's wife, who plays the part of the skeptic and as a devout catholic that frowns upon Beto's schemes.  There is also his daughter, who--like most village girls--dreams of escaping the fate of her parents and having a life in the big city.

Beto's personal frustrations are often taken out on his daughter, by demanding she become a courier like himself, and dismissing her dreams of escape from her provincial life. 

It doesn't take long for the amiable Beto to devise a plan to get some of that sweet Brazilian money with--you guessed it--a toilet.  

And so he sets to work on a toilet fit to host the divine and spiritual asses of the religious hordes, for a small profit of course. 

The Pope's Toilet does a great job capturing the essence of poverty and the will to overcome when met with repeated failures. 

The town of Melo is brought to life as a place of extreme poverty, cut off from basic human needs, further subjugated by the cruel blockades that deprive the town folk of things such as batteries.  

But the Pope's Toilet also captures the sense of community and family, showcasing the importance of unity in hard times, as well as possessing a steadfast determination to persevere.  

An inspiring, saddening, and often funny film, overall, I really enjoyed its message.  

Full Movie

My Rating: 6.5