Conclave (2024)

• Director: Edward Berger
• Screenplay: Peter Straughan
• Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, Isabella Rossellini
• Cinematography: Stéphane Fontaine
• Editing: Nick Emerson
• Score: Volker Bertelmann
• Genre: Mystery thriller
• Runtime: 120 minutes

Similar to how a potential president of the United States needs 270 electoral votes to win, a cardinal requires a specific number of votes to become the next Pope. This process is laborious and can take several days if the first round of voting doesn’t yield a clear winner. And like the aforementioned political election, it can get just as tangled; secrets are drawn out, accusations are flung around.

Featuring a top-tier cast – Misters Fiennes, Tucci and Lithgow as cardinals and Isabella Rossellini as a steely-eyed nun, ‘Conclave‘ is an incredibly engrossing watch – you never know who you can quite trust. Every cardinal has their foibles, some hold antiquated opinions – but where do you draw the line on who is honourable enough for the papacy?

It’s a fascinating look at a system so hidden from public view. Behind closed doors, the formalities are treated with the utmost sanctity and the level of secrecy puts me in mind of a holy Fort Knox. This film may be the only way us regular folk could ever bear witness to such events unfolding.

I liked cinematographer Stephane Fontaine’s use of empty space; I felt it heightened the isolation of the clergy from the outside world, as they’re already in seclusion for this conclave. Does the church have relevancy in modern times? It’s remarkable that this ostentatious, theatrical ceremony still occurs in the 21st century – it feels almost out of place in a digital era. There’s one particular shot of a cardinal clutching an iPhone, perhaps representing the church’s feeble attempt to keep up with the times. Fontaine also has an eye for colour; the red cassocks dominating the pale marble halls of the Sistine Chapel.

I would’ve given this my fabled 9/10 rating (I don’t give 10s, perfection is unattainable), but the twist at the end (bound to rile a few Catholics) came out of nowhere and completely threw me, with little resolution.

My rating: 8 / 10