Movie Review: Conclave

I love when movies offer me a glimpse into something that I otherwise would never get to see, and with its plot focused on the selection of a new Pope, Conclave offers up precisely that. The rituals and processes depicted feel very accurate and help to sell the suspense around the election itself, creating one of the year’s most intelligent and riveting films.

When the Pope dies, the members of the College of Cardinals are called together from around the world, put into sequestration, and tasked with electing a new Pope. Cardinal-Dean Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is in charge of the conclave and is tasked with ensuring that everything runs smoothly without influence from the outside world. It is not a job that he relishes, as he has been experiencing his own crisis of faith with the Catholic Church and had asked to resign his post but was barred from doing so by the old Pope.

As everyone is arriving it is discovered that the Pope had also secretly made Archbishop Benitez (Carlos Diehz) of Kabul a cardinal. There is a brief debate about whether the news is to be believed, but Lawrence determines it does seem to be true and was probably kept quiet to protect him and his post in a country that is known to be hostile towards members of the Church and so allows him to remain.

Once voting gets underway, it becomes apparent that the front runners are Bellini (Stanley Tucci), Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), Tremblay (John Lithgow), and Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto). Bellini shares the late Pope’s (and Lawrence’s) liberal leanings, while Adeyemi is more socially conservative, Tremblay is even more so, and Tedesco wants to see the Church return to Latin masses and begin acting in a more openly hostile fashion towards other religions, while also espousing racist beliefs and behaving cruelly towards his staff.

The conclave has to continue until one candidate receives a two-thirds majority, with the different men wheeling and dealing amongst the attendees between votes to try and build up their numbers. While there is to be no interference from outside, secrets do emerge and loyalties are tested, all while Lawrence does his best to maintain order and learn the truth about each of the front runners.

With gorgeous cinematography by Stéphane Fontaine, Conclave often looks like a painting, though sometimes the quick pace of the editing doesn’t allow us the time to fully take in the scenery. Astute viewers may be able to guess the ultimate winner of the election, but Peter Straughan’s script, adapted from Robert Harris’ best-selling novel, keeps the outcome feeling uncertain enough that even if you do figure it out, you’ll still be in at least some suspense.

Director Edward Berger orchestrates everything masterfully, moving at a quick pace while always being easy to follow. The cast all do excellent work, but Fiennes truly shines, as you can see his inner turmoil written on his face in nearly every scene. Isabella Rossellini also gives a memorable but subdued turn as the leader of the group of nuns that cook and clean for the members of the conclave.

Hollywood doesn’t make as many of these sorts of heady, cerebral thrillers as it once did so it’s a treat when one appears, especially when it’s this good. Conclave is a taut thriller that doesn’t need violence to elicit suspense, instead relying on smart dialog, clever plotting, and philosophical musings about the purpose of religion in our society to hook the audience. The end result is one of the year’s best and most enjoyable films. ★★★★★