'Conclave' Review
Release Date: 10/25/24 [Cinemas]
Genre: Drama. Thriller.
MPAA: Rated PG.
Distributor: Focus Features.
Seen for London Film Festival 2024.
The Verdict: A Must-See
If you ever doubted that bunch of old men could engage in drama catty enough to intimidate even the nastiest teenage girl, enter Conclave: a film that lifts the veil on one of the most sacred and secretive traditions in the Roman Catholic Church.
In Edward Berger’s captivating and surprisingly funny film, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with participating in the selection of a new Pope. His friends within the church prefer Lawrence inherit the sacred title, but he resists. In a more memorable moment, Cardinal Bellini (played by a beautifully cast Stanley Tucci) explains that’s exactly why Lawrence should take it – because only dangerous men actively seek out that type of power.
It’s a sentiment that is relevant to so many worldly events, is it not? The deeper into Conclave I got, the more comparisons I was drawing between the fictitious battle for the papacy and modern governmental elections, making it strikingly powerful on a metaphorical level.
Adding to the discomfort between the men is the 11th-hour addition of a new member, Cardinal Benitez of Kabul (Carlos Diehz). His entrance is met with scrutiny by many of the men, but Cardinal Lawrence’s good nature is a saving grace for Benitez – acting as a buffer between the hard edges of the more cynical members.
Conclave is filled to the brim with excellent performances, but it's Fiennes’ earnest and kind-eyed portrayal that brings warmth and comfortability to a situation that otherwise feels cold. Diehz, a newcomer to the acting biz, also gives a standout performance with an earnestness made increasingly apparent as his character’s colorful past is revealed.
The Church is no stranger to scandal, and Conclave smartly avoids the obvious accusations that have dogged it for decades. Instead, it plays off a different kind of tension – one fraught with lies, illicit affairs and innuendo. Ultimately, Conclave crafts an incredibly entertaining drama that I cannot wait to watch again. If the walls of the Vatican could talk, they would have a lot to say, and after watching this film I am all ears.
