Conclave

Director: Edward Berger

2024

17 March 2025

See

After the death of the Pope Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) takes charge of the conclave of cardinals sequestered in the Vatican to elect a successor. There’s Bellini (Stanley Tucci) a reluctant liberal, his counterpart conservative Italian Tadesco (Sergio Castelitto). Also serious candidates are the ambitious Trembley and popular Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) all maneuvering for the top job. 

Think

This is thriller level of political intrigue, and lawrence needs information and time to manage proceedings, which are shrouded in secrecy and sumptuous ritual. Helping him are O’Malley (Brian F O’Bryrne), Sister Agnes (Isabella Rossellini) and mysterious outsider Benitez (Carlos Dehz). In the wheeling and dealing Lawrence’s doubts are revealed as is his ambition for the papacy. Fiennes contains the dependable intensity of both existing within him simultaneously. And yet he handles it with equanimity in the homily, which was always my favourite part of mass.

Feel

Religion is not a story that speaks to me. But film does, and cinema is my church. For the two hours of this film I was utterly enthralled by what was going on. Even when it was confusing, such as the ornate costumes and rituals, vaguely familiar raised catholic and yet answering questions like the ballot system showing who is ahead, because the story shows why. Lawrence confronting each obstacle and verbal altercations with the other cast were so subtle there were times it felt like it could go either way with him or them coming out on top of the interaction. Power and its processes are fascinating as are human frailties and that doesn’t belong to any one religion. We all believe in something transcendent, and doubt it when it’s absent.