I should confess, I wanted to love Conclave. A PG-rated political thriller that centers people of faith directed by one of our best young directors.
But the movie was ultimately pretty meh. I think my Catholic friends deserved better.
“Conclave” covers the death of a fictional pope and the events that follow in selecting a new one. The film centers on Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, played by Ralph Fiennes. Lawrence is to preside at the conclave that will elect the new pope.
The film then plots the rise, and then dramatic political fall of one candidate after the next. In some ways it felt like watching whack-a-mole set to the sumptuous scenery of St. Peter’s Basilica.
My biggest complaint with Conclave is that the script seemed incapable of seeing or representing goodness or faith in people. In an early scene as the cardinals first descend on Vatican city I was amused by a scene showing them doomscrolling on their cell-phones and smoking their cigarettes—humanizing vices. But the screenplay couldn’t contain itself to mere vices.
It represents the Catholic cardinals as adulterers, corrupt, vain, xenophobic, dishonest, and petty. Which is to say nothing of the fact that it seems faith crises are a dime a dozen, including an early revelation that the late Pope was in the middle of one. Fundamentally good people also find themselves in conflict, and I wonder why filmmakers aren’t more interested in representing them.
The film is also much more nakedly political than I would have guessed. During one discussion about who to elect, Lawrence retorts, “Is this what we’re reduced to, choosing the least worst candidate?” He might as well have looked at the camera and winked.
The film’s perspective is within a progressive band of Catholics, and portrays all other orientations to Catholicism as backward and bigoted. And the film’s abrupt final twist is clearly intended to manipulate viewers into a progressive position on a hot button political issue.
I had assumed its early November release was standard award season timing, but clearly it’s at least as much about making a statement on the US election.
If you can set that aside, there is an awful lot to enjoy here.
This film drips with suspense. I sat on the front of my seat for the first 80% of the film before the whack-a-mole became apparent. The main candidates, Lawrence portrayed by Ralph Fiennes, Bellini portrayed by Stanley Tucci, Tremblay portrayed by John Lithgow, Adayemi portrayed by Lucian Msamati, and Tedesco portrayed by Sergio Castellitto all bring depth, nuance, and grounding to their very distinct characters.
And there are a few moments where the script can find the heart of the characters, such as one particularly touching scene between Lawrence and Adayemi on the nature of sin and forgiveness.
But much like in director Edward Berger’s previous film, “All Quiet on the Western Front,” it is the visuals that steal the show here. The cinematography plays with focus and out of focus in novel ways. And Berger respects the beauty of the Catholic church’s traditions. He makes great use of the vestments and their bold colors. Political thrillers with this much suspense are usually set in dark parking garages, in this one you see Michaelangelo in the background. And because of the great symbolic art around, Berger seems to always be able to comment on what’s happening with his choice of what’s in the background.
Despite being PG, this film would bore just about any child under 14, and given the corruption and sin we learn about religious leaders participating in, I’d be careful showing it to any child unless you’re ready for a good conversation (though to be fair, it could be a good excuse for just such a conversation.)
Two out of five stars. Conclave releases to theaters October 25, 2024.