“Conclave” Review
Ralph Fiennes leads the ensemble cast of “Conclave” a thriller film about the dramatic election of a new pope in the secluded halls of the Vatican.
While I was born into a Christian household, I wasn’t from a Catholic family. I don’t know if that has any relevance but for whatever reason, films that deal with the church, the papacy or any kinds of drama within a theocracy don’t really appeal to me. A good example is “The Two Popes” which I thought was a good film but really didn’t leave too much of a lasting impact even though I do adore the director Frenando Meirelles, whose previous work includes the masterpiece “City of God”. To be truthful, my favorite films which take place within the Catholic church are “Sister Act” and “The Exorcist” which, I think, says a lot about me. I say all of this to show just how impressive it was that “Conclave”, which is currently nominated for eight Oscars including Best Picture, managed to thrill me with its impressive production. Having all the energy of a classic political thriller, “Conclave” is a superb film with some truly outstanding performances and a rich claustrophobia courtesy of director Edward Berger.
After The Pope dies of a heart attack, Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) assembles The College of Cardinals to The Vatican City. After being secluded, the conclave begins the process of electing a new pope with multiple candidates all vying for the papacy. The tensions growing from within the group come to a head with every passing vote as unlikely candidates come from the shadows while frontrunners show their true colors.
After directing the four-time Oscar-winning “All Quiet on the Western Front”, Edward Berger continues to show his skill as a storyteller with a new kind of warfare from within this group of powerful men. Despite being a part of such a large and powerful organization like the Catholic Church, there’s nowhere for these cardinals to go once their seclusion has begun and it results in some moments of great tension and character development. Despite being in such grand locations like The Sistine Chapel and having the work of Michelangelo look down upon them, there is this feeling of entrapment which only helps the film’s function as a thriller.
As Cardinal Lawrence, Ralph Fiennes astounds as he struggles to keep order and tries to weed out the schemes of those who are campaigning hard to be the next pope. After having a crisis both in faith and in his own confidence as the dean of the College of Cardinals, his resolve is further tested when the more liberal members of the college begin to flout his name for the papacy. Throughout the film, you feel this tear in Lawrence because you understand that he wants this powderkeg of a congregation to end as quickly as possible but he also wants to make sure that the next pope doesn't undo all of the progress the church has made, especially since there are some strong contenders who are seeking just that. It’s a performance drenched in the pathos that Fiennes is known for while also keeping you guessing as to what he will do.
Other supporting actors like Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto and Lucian Msamati work well within the ensemble as men who are all interested in being elected with some proving to be strong allies to Lawrence while others are relentlessly antagonistic. But as Lawrence treads lightly among them, he discovers that some of these candidates and self-proclaimed men of God may have a few secrets that they’re desperately trying to keep hidden. I was especially enthralled with Tucci’s performance as Cardinal Aldo Bellini because he appears to be the only candidate who doesn't want the papacy but feels that it’s his duty to keep more hardened traditionalists away from the seat. He also is excellent with Fiennes as Bellini explains to Lawrence the reality of this situation with one of the film’s best dialogues.
Throughout “Conclave”, I was surprised at how invested I was becoming in the politics of this world and how each vote had me leaning closer towards the screen. Written by Peter Straughan, his screenplay does an excellent job conveying the importance of this vote and how the actions of this conclave will impact the outside world even though the vast majority of the film is set secluded away from all distractions and all other signs of people not a part of the church’s hierarchy.
Just when I thought I knew who would win the coveted two-thirds majority, “Conclave” would throw another loop that would undo all expectations. In particular, I was surprised at just how big of a role Isabella Rossellini played as Sister Agnes, the housekeeper of the conclave. In her performance, Rossellini observes all of the chaos and sees through all the deceptions and games since, as a nun, she has nothing to gain from this. In this sense, she too becomes a valuable ally to Lawrence as he tries to keep things balanced. With his entire character shrouded in mystery, Carlos Diehz astounds in a role that I hope gives him more opportunities in cinema. With Diehz’s performance as Cardinal Vincent Benitez, “Conclave” goes places that I wasn’t expecting but found myself welcoming, resulting in a very satisfying conclusion.
While “Conclave” could be seen by a passerby as another attempt at “Oscar-bait” given its subject matter, it is anything but typical and safe awards fodder. “Conclave” is a highly engaging piece of cinema that astonishes with its breathtaking visuals, well-written dialogue and a slew of performances that make you feel the massive weight of each character’s actions regardless of your religious affiliation. If you made the mistake of not seeing it upon its initial theatrical release as I did, there is still time this awards season to find a theater playing “Conclave”.
