Final Rating: 5/5
The pope has died and over one billion Catholics around the world are both grieving and wondering who the next pope will be. In Conclave, Edward Berger’s follow up to the Oscar winning All Quiet on the Western Front, shows us the process that takes place to elect a new pontiff.
When the current pope suddenly dies of an apparent heart attack Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Finnes) rushes to the Vatican as he is about to become the most important Catholic for the next few weeks. As Dean of the College of Cardinals, he is responsible for gathering all the Cardinals from around the world to be sequestered in the Vatican to oversee a vote for a new Pope.
To make matters worse, he is having a crisis of faith. Shortly before the old Pope’s passing, he offered his resignation as Dean with a request to be sent off on a small Mission to figure out what his relationship to God is. The Pope declined, privately knowing his health was worsening and needing the honest and direct Lawrence to lead the charge of finding his successor.
As the Cardinals converge at the Vatican to be isolated until the process is done, factions begin to emerge about who is in the running. The strongest contenders include Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) from Italy, a hardliner who believes the previous Pope was too liberal and thinks there is a holy war about to begin with Islam. He also believes that the Pope should be Italian again, as it had been forty years since the last Italian was elected (with John Paul II ruining a streak of 455 years of Italian/Roman Popes).
Other contenders include Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) of Nigeria vying to be the first African Pope, which he believes makes him appealing but also holds deeply problematic homophobic attitudes towards the queer community. Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow), a Canadian, has positioned himself as a middle of the road candidate, not an extremist and not too progressive to scare off the more conservative Catholics.
Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci) is the most outwardly liberal of all the candidates announcing that if other Cardinals wish to canvass on his behalf they must be upfront that he does not believe the queer community are sinners, wants women to play a more prominent role in the church and that he would not return to Latin services like Tedesco would. Bellini claims that he does not seek the papacy, but rather thinks he should be Pope only to ensure that none of the other more conservative contenders get elected.
Lastly there is Lawrence, who some believe is the most level headed and would be a continuation of the previous Pope. His supporters do not know about his crisis of faith, and when he reveals it he angrily asks people to stop voting for him.
As the College of Cardinals are about to be shut off from the rest of the world until a majority vote is decided upon, Lawrence’s assistant Monsignor O’Malley (Brían F. O’Byrne) reveals to him that a secret Cardinal has arrived that no one knew about. To become a Cardinal the Pope must anoint you the position, and Cardinal Benitez (Carlos Diehz) was appointed “in pectore”, meaning he was given the title in secret. The Mexican, who had served in the Congo and other dangerous regions was appointed as the Cardinal of Kabul, Afghanistan, a place where Catholics are persecuted. As such it made sense why he was never publicly known. After Lawrence examined his documents showing he was indeed appointed by the previous Pope, Benitez is allowed to participate.
From there the film becomes a political intrigue thriller. Before the first vote is cast, Lawrence gives an impassioned speech from the heart where he says that the greatest sin the potential new Pope can have is certainty. He proclaims that they must question everything and as soon as they know by default the direction to go, they have failed. He pleads for the College to vote accordingly. This is a very pointed attack directed to Tedesco, Adeyemi and Tremblay.
Round by round as true contenders begin to emerge and fringe candidates begin to drop off, the knives come out. Being the Pope isn’t just about being closer to God, but as a leader of over one billion people, you set a cultural standard that is to be followed. Pope’s have been whisperers controlling Emperor’s, created dynasties, started wars and more. You instantly become one of the most famous and influential people on the planet where world leaders, royalty and others will do anything to be granted an audience with them.
Secrets start emerging one by one as factions both try to backstab each other and as the previous Pope’s final wishes and thoughts are revealed. Lawrence claims to want to remain neutral, but allows Monsignor O’Malley to investigate different findings. It is learned that when Cardinal Tremblay had the final meeting with the previous Pope’s life, he was supposedly asked to step down as Cardinal. Archbishop Woźniak (Jacek Koman) reveals this information to Lawrence, but claims that he wasn’t told why Tremblay was asked to step down, only that the Pope said it would become apparent soon enough.
The film mostly stays within its own created world, with the previous Pope not even given a name. But details emerge that tie it to the real world. Notable pasts are mentioned like how a previous Pope was in the Hitler Youth (Benedict XVI) and one presided over the largest sex abuse scandal ever (John Paul II). Real world politics come into play as the Catholic Church has different segments pushing and pulling in opposite directions, as reflected notably in the Tedesco and Bellini characters.
Edward Berger has crafted an immensely decadent thriller about the fate of the Catholic church. You have men all vying for the same crown where they each have their reasons for wanting power and not wanting to let others take control. The performances across the board are beyond fantastic. Ralph Finnes is a complicated man who is reserved to those around him, but is in full on Sherlock Holmes mode trying to investigate the skeletons just barely hiding in his cohort. The few times he needs to make a point, his righteous anger takes center stage, knowing exactly what level to be at.
Stanley Tucci leads a fantastic ensemble, playing a man who says anyone who wants to be Pope is not fit to be one, while trying to play a game of pontiff’s in the shadows. The more time you spend with Bellini, the less you think he would make a good Pope, which is shocking because at the onset he appears to be the best selection. John Lithgow could have had more juicy moments, but that is a criticism only because of knowing what he is capable of, not the performance he turns in.
Isabella Rossellini plays Sister Agnes, who leads the Nuns that support the conclave. She stays in the corners, always watching and listening as the men around her don’t even notice her quiet presence. When it comes time for her pivotal scene, something as simple as a courtesy may secure her an Oscar nomination.
The film is lush and full of texture. The sea of Cardinals shuffling along from room to room around the Vatican make them look like red penguins. Each nefarious conversation is held in the most stunning of venues. From marble lined hallways, to the Sistine Chapel to an auditorium that is barely lifted from the shadows. Each room we see is more marvelously designed than the previous one.
The twists and turns of the screenplay adapted by Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) from Robert Harris’ novel is tight and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The film also has a surprising amount of comedy and criticism directed at the Catholic Church. Volker Bertelmann re-teams with Berger after winning an Oscar for his music on All Quiet, and provides a dark and sinister composition filled with violins and other stringed instruments.
The film excels at every level, with each department at the top of their game. The subtle differences between Cardinals from around the world are displayed in their wardrobes, while the lived-in feeling of the jewelry these men wear showcase their differing attitudes towards material objects. Several of the Cardinal’s smoke cigarettes while Tedesco puffs on a Ferrari red vape that matches his crimson attire.
This is a movie for fans of John le Carré, All The President’s Men, The Constant Gardener, Michael Clayton, The Insider and others. It is a nearly perfect suspense film with so many reveals you never know what will happen next. Edward Berger has shown that he is becoming a top tier filmmaker with back to back masterpieces.
Conclave was seen during the 2024 Vancouver International Film Festival.
