It’s not all that surprising that the most intriguing aspect of Abel Ferrara’s upcoming drama, “Padre Pio” might not be anything that is actually relevant to the plot of the film. Instead, it’s the curiosity of seeing Shia LaBeouf begin his latest career revival after abuse allegations surfaced. And now, audiences will be able to see if LaBeouf and Ferrara are able to collaborate on something worth seeing more than just as a novelty.
As seen in the trailer, “Padre Pio” stars LaBeouf as the title character, an Italian priest attempting to overcome his own struggles after World War I. As mentioned, the film is probably best known as the return of LaBeouf, but it’s also intriguing as the actor has credited this role as being a pivotal moment in his own life and spiritual journey.
Shia LaBeouf stars in the film alongside Cristina Chiriac, Marco Leonardi, Asia Argento, Vincenzo Crea, Luca Lionello, Brando Pacitto, Stella Mastrantonio, and Salvatore Ruocco. “Padre Pio” is directed by Abel Ferrara, who co-wrote the feature with Maurizio Braucci.
We were able to screen “Padre Pio” at last year’s Venice Film Festival. In our review, we commented on LaBeouf’s own personal journey and said, “Whatever catharsis the film prompted off-screen is not the territory of any review, but it’s notable that whatever transformation may have occurred in production finds little to no expression on screen.”
“Padre Pio” debuts in theaters on June 2. You can watch the trailer below.
Here’s the synopsis:
In this powerful drama directed by acclaimed filmmaker Abel Ferrara, a young priest, Padre Pio (Shia LaBeouf), begins his ministry at a remote Capuchin monastery in Italy’s San Giovanni Rotondo. WWI has ended and Italian soldiers — broken but victorious — are returning to the impoverished village ruled by wealthy land owners. As events surrounding the first free election in Italy threaten to tear the village apart, Padre Pio struggles with his own personal demons, ultimately emerging from his spiritual anguish to become one of Catholicism’s most venerated figures.