Directed by: Edward Berger
Written by: Peter Straughan, based on Robert Harris’ novel
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati, Sergio Castellitto, Carlos Diehz, and Isabella Rossellini
Runtime: 120 minutes
‘Conclave’, a skillfully-constructed and gripping drama, seems destined for Oscar nominations
“This is a conclave, Aldo. It’s not a war.” – Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes)
“It is a war, and you have to commit to a side.” – Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci)
Director Edward Berger’s “All Quiet on the Western Front” (2022) won four Oscars and was nominated for five others. His new film, “Conclave”, about an entirely different type of war, seems destined for Oscar nominations too.
Set in the present day, a conflict embroils Vatican City. The Pope dies of a heart attack, and Cardinal Thomas Lawrence is placed in charge of the Catholic Church’s conclave, where the acting cardinals will elect a new leader.
Reluctant but dutiful, Cardinal Lawrence attempts to carry out his duties. However, with prestigious power up for grabs, political maneuvering seemingly becomes a sacred right with the Sistine Chapel’s holy walls.
Berger’s movie, based on Robert Harris’ 2016 novel, is skillfully constructed, as he and screenwriter Peter Straughan weave a gripping drama where a few key players – Cardinals Tremblay (John Lithgow), Bellini, Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), and Benitez (Carlos Diehz) – acquire votes from their devout colleagues during the election process. The body of over 100 Cardinals will decide the Church’s new leader, and the aforementioned men and Lawrence ride waves of stress (and sometimes disbelief) while several tallies are counted.
The talented ensemble, in their hallowed on-screen forms, repeatedly converses in dark corners and wide-open spaces within the Vatican. At the same time, scandal, a double-cross or two, and arguments between liberal and conservative views play out like private confessions and comprehensive sermons for the viewer. Meanwhile, voting totals run up and down between the candidates like an overworked elevator in a Vegas casino during a Super Bowl Sunday weekend. Who will become the new Pope is anyone’s guess, but place your bets during the 120-minute runtime.
Berger and Straughan include plenty of time for supporting players Lithgow, Tucci, Msamati, Castellitto, and Diehz to enjoy defining and delicious scene-stealing moments for their characters. Perhaps the most memorable line is delivered by Isabella Rossellini as Sister Agnes, and the moment will prompt applause and cheers from movie theatres everywhere.
Although this is a conversational-driven movie about the inner workings of individual political gamesmanship and accompanying motivations, Berger speaks through his big-screen, cinematic voice. He and cinematographer Stephane Fontaine offer rich visuals on set, filmed in Rome’s Cinecitta Studios and not inside the Vatican. Still, you wouldn’t know it from the convincing on-screen visual effects.
Red proudly appears everywhere, not only on the cardinal robes but also on walls. It’s even the hue of a quarter-sized wax seal that binds the ribbon on the deceased Pope’s papal apartment.
Meanwhile, Lawrence and the other cardinals move about the grounds with a gravitas that Berger and Fontaine capture with assured, rigid framing that matches the concerned and motivated figures while also contrasting these formalities with shots of inspired, lush biblical paintings. The art direction and script frequently explore the idea that pious responsibilities are placed in the hands of mortals, and the film’s sizable sound department takes heed of this understanding by offering somber resonance to match the mood. For example, as doors close on the assembly to concentrate on a vote, one would think a 10-ton weight dropped from the heavens above and landed with an ominous boom.
Additionally, the film’s score frequently acts as a shadowy accomplice that plays on anxieties and this monumental decision. These cardinals compel and force twists and turns, and Lawrence tries to navigate this unpredictable road with a steady hand, even with his own admitted “doubts.”
No doubt, look for “Conclave” during Awards Season.
Jeff’s ranking
3.5/4 stars
