Conclave is a movie which seems to be aimed at showing mainstream audiences the inner workings of the cardinals and the process through which a pope is elected. There’s one big issue with it: Conclave does not care to appeal to those already familiar with the subject matter.
The movie begins with Thomas Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes in a career-best role) discovering the pope has died. The audience never so much as learns the name of the deceased Holy Father—but we do know about his liberal political leanings and work to modernise the church with 21st century standards.
After his death, a chasm is left to be filled and there are four favourites: hardline traditionalist Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), social conservative Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), moderate Tremblay (John Lithgow), staunch liberal Bellini (Stanley Tucci). Just before the cardinals are sequestered to begin the voting process, a new cardinal arrives, one who was given the position by the pope in secret and whose appointment was never announced.
Common sense dictates a movie aimed at Catholics should at least appeal to them, however, screenwriter Peter Straughan and Robert Harris—who wrote the book on which the film is based—do not seem to agree. The five front runners for the papacy each have their foibles and secrets, discovered as the cardinals inch closer to electing their new leader. This threatens to ruin any chance of being elected but could impact how the church is seen by the broader community. The secrets, ranging from past mistakes to current misdeeds, are an attempt to show even those who have devoted their lives to God are still human and still err but when being considered for the highest office in the Catholic Church, shouldn’t those who may one day hold that position hold themselves to a higher standard?
Conclave’s biases, shown almost immediately at the beginning of the film, persist throughout. Lead by a powerhouse performance from Fiennes and a strong outing from Tucci, the audience knows who they are supposed to sympathise with and it’s unsurprising that it’s the more liberal leaning cardinals. Conclave is a political movie by another name and this is joked about in the film when Lawrence likens the conclave to an American election. The two more conservative favourites for the role are shown unfavourably with each man given a fatal flaw meant to turn the viewers against them and towards the progressives.
Some moviegoers may be put off not only by the slant but by how unsubtle it is, with Bellini privately declaring the election as a war and fears the church will return to the way it was half a century ago if a conservative is elected. He neglects to say exactly how this would be achieved or elaborate on any plans for progressivism if he were to be chosen.
Outside of its subject matter, Conclave is a stunning picture. Thrilling from start to end, the tension never lets up, thanks to the able work of cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine, who masterfully uses camera angles and positions, and employs different focal lengths to keep the tension and intrigue high. The audience only sees what the camera deigns to show until it is ready to make a big reveal, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats throughout. The script is a highlight of the film as well, as the dialogue is well crafted, characters are well-defined, and each cardinal’s voice and intent makes them stand out even while they are all dressed the same. The sound design, however, was lacking as ambient noises like Lawrence’s breathing and footsteps were too prominent, distracting from the intrigue while not even adding to the atmosphere as intended.
Conclave, at its barest, is a collection of men standing, sitting, and talking in rooms. Yet, due to the power of the performances, script, and cinematography, the audience is never bored by what could be described as a largely repetitious plot as the cardinals vote multiple times until there is a majority winner. Catholics who may know the ending ahead of viewing or appreciate the political slant of the movie may not wish to see it but there is more than enough the film provides to make it worthy of being watched. Conclave is rated PG for mild themes and is in cinemas now.