After winning four of its nine Oscar nominations at the 2023 Academy Awards, Netflix’s All Quiet on the Western Front put German-Austrian director Edward Berger on the map. Now, moving away from the stifling trenches of World War 1, Berger’s next feature film, Conclave, takes audiences across the grand cathedrals and ancient hallways of Rome. Based on the 2016 book of the same name by British novelist Robert Harris, the story centers around the papal conclave and its covert process of nominating a new pope. It’s told through the eyes of Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), the dean of Cardinals, whose heavy responsibilities include presiding over the conclave’s election following the unexpected death of the current Pope.
Within the conclave locked inside the Vatican, the cardinals are forbidden to contact the rest of the world, especially at the risk of learning information that could sway their decision when voting for the next pope. This is one of the most important elections in the world, as the pope possesses papal supremacy, his word becoming a complete and undisputed power within the Catholic Church. The cardinals find themselves divided into two factions: the conservatives and the liberals. The liberals rally behind Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci), who was very close with the previous Pope, while the conservatives line up behind the ambitious and traditional Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto).
Cardinal Lawrence is aligned with Bellini’s vision and resents the notion of a bigot confining the church to the limitations of traditionalism. He especially begins to suspect Cardinal Tedesco of being unfit to become pope after he learns that his last meeting with the previous Pope was of an unsavory nature. So, the screenplay, written by British playwright and screenwriter Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), operates more like a mystery-thriller with heightened and personal stakes, as Lawrence lurks throughout the Vatican, sniffing out possible corruption and following the trail of breadcrumbs the deceased Pope laid, rather than following the structure of a political drama.
Ralph Fiennes & Stanley Tucci in ‘Conclave’ courtesy of Focus Features
Nonetheless, Conclave is an explicitly political film. Any plotline that makes direct commentary on the morality of people, and the inherent politics involved, runs the risk of feeling preachy. Ironically enough, despite the religious profession of its central characters, Conclave artfully avoids this trap. This is not only due to the movie’s earnest tone and the lack of self-righteousness among the cast but also the layered nature of the narrative. The titular conclave is a microcosm of the world — the conversations between the men inside the Vatican halls reflect the people they serve outside. Additionally, the conclave dually serves as an isolated space wholly separate from society, revolving around the self-interests of the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders.
This push and pull between the isolated motivations of the conclave against the larger world it’s meant to be concerned with lends an excellent thematic depth to the film. It’s the perfect canvas for all the character work that follows, whether that be interpersonal struggles of piety and morality, or a larger reflection on what it truly means to do the best thing for the people. Peter Straughan’s script is thoughtfully constructed and delicately executed, a pleasant redemption coming after the clunkiness of his two previous projects, The Goldfinch (2019) and The Snowman (2017).
The great Ralph Fiennes leads Conclave with a gracefully reserved performance. Cardinal Lawrence suffers a crisis of faith, so Fiennes embodies him with the necessary uncertainty. Not only in his own conclusions about the men around him and what the morally righteous thing would be but also in what his purpose is, in a larger sense, as a cardinal and a follower of God.
Cardinal Lawrence is forced to make a number of confrontations throughout the story with quiet empathy. Even so, every reveal Ralph Fiennes expertly delivers throughout the film is no less impactful, coaxing gasps from the audience. Fiennes nails the delicate balance between doubt and conviction, an unsure character but an active protagonist. Both Stanley Tucci and Sergio Castellitto embody their roles acutely next to Fiennes as two foiled manifestations of the same ambition, one modest and one shameless.
Ralph Fiennes in ‘Conclave’ courtesy of Focus Features
The visuals of Conclave are very rich and beautiful. Typical of filmmaker Edward Berger, Conclave is intermissioned by long sequences of nothing but ritual, steeped in the ancient traditions of the Catholic Church and the grand architecture encompassing it. Cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine (Jackie, Ammonite) puts a special emphasis on contrast. The first is light versus dark, reflecting the false dual nature of man. Though, in reality, all men exist in the gray. The second is the contrasts between the aged setting and modern technologies, reflecting the film’s themes around traditionalism versus progressivism.
While adept at setting the tone, these long, atmospheric sequences serve little purpose other than style, and so they tend to overstay their welcome as their length bleeds into self-indulgence. This has little bearing on Conclave‘s 2-hour runtime but does drag the pacing. Additionally, similar to Edward Berger’s adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front, Conclave is interjected at times with a thundering score via composer Volker Bertelmann (also known as Hauschka), which certainly feels much more out of place here in the middle of Rome.
Ultimately, Edward Berger’s Conclave is a sincere film, circling people attempting to do what is right while burdened with the folly of being human. Rather than condemn, Conclave performs this exploration with a great deal of empathy, even forgiveness when apt. The plot is propelled forward by the mystery of corruption and the stakes of the election, but beneath all of this moral tension lies a tender beating heart. Though a bit slow, Conclave is worth every minute of its runtime and will inevitably leave viewers with a lingering fondness.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Conclave premiered at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival and also played at the Toronto International Film Festival and London Film Festival. The film hits theaters on October 25!
Release Date: October 25, 2024.
Directed by Edward Berger.
Screenplay by Peter Straughan.
Based on Conclave by Robert Harris.
Produced by Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, Michael Jackman, Alice Dawson, & Robert Harris.
Main Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, Isabella Rossellini, Lucian Msamati, Carlos Diehz, Brían F. O’Byrne, Merab Ninidze, Thomas Loibl, Jacek Koman, & Loris Loddi.
Cinematographer: Stéphane Fontaine.
Composer: Volker Bertelmann.
Production Companies: FilmNation Entertainment, Indian Paintbrush, & House Productions.
Distributors: Focus Features (U.S.) & Black Bear UK (United Kingdom).
Runtime: 120 minutes.
Rated PG.
Credit: discussingfilm.net
