Conclave
Bless me, Father, for I have indulged in the spilling of holy tea. It’s been 28 days since I attended the media screening for Conclave and I’ve been recommending it to anyone who’ll listen. The riveting new papal thriller from director Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) and screenwriter Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) was Cinefix’s number one prestige film of 2024 and it just won the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay. Were there an award for Best Use of a Vape in the Vatican, it’d win that, too.
Conclave begins with the end of the current pope. He’s just died from a routine heart attack and as the last rites are performed, whispers of the succession murmur throughout the halls of the Vatican. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), as the Dean of the College of Cardinals, must lead the election of the new pope. There are four apparent frontrunners: American liberal Aldo Bellini (Stanley Tucci), Canadian moderate Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow), Italian far-right traditionalist Goffredo Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), and Nigerian conservative Joshua Adayemi (Lucian Msamati).
All in the conclave are sequestered during the voting process and the drama within the Vatican is turned up to 11. Adayemi proves hugely popular, until some dirty laundry from his past is suspiciously aired. Tremblay is a legitimate player, until the late pope’s confidant informs Cardinal Lawrence of some wildly corrupt undertakings (which he of course denies). Tedesco at first seems an archaic and unlikely option, until his ultra conservative ramblings start to make sense to some of the cardinals. And then there’s the last minute arrival of Mexican candidate Cardinal Benítez (Carlos Diehz), whom we discover the late pope appointed in secret as Archbishop of Kabul.
View from the polls.
As the ballots roll on, certain candidates edge closer to the required majority. But this is not by any means a predictable race; there’s in-fighting, sneaky plots being carried out behind the scenes, an attack on the Sistine Chapel and a conspiracy discovered by Cardinal Lawrence with the help of Sister Agnes (an impassioned Isabella Rossellini) that threatens to undermine the very process through which the pope is elected. It’s damn juicy stuff, and it had me on the edge of my seat all the way to its ballsy climax.
Based on Robert Harris’ bestselling novel of the same name, Conclave is delicious entertainment. It’s a peek behind the veil of the highly secretive process by which the head of the Catholic Church is elected, yet it feels like a taut political thriller; think House of Cards or the works of Armando Iannucci. Important, hushed conversations equating the outcome of the ballots to a war are held in staircases and private rooms, and the urgency of getting it right becomes not only apparent but essential.
I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man.
There are the obligatory questions of faith and ‘God’s will’, but Conclave also deals with the folly of men and their alarming ability to lose all morals (religious or otherwise) when the highest seat of power lies within their grasp. Characters who outwardly espouse liberal values have no problem playing dirty for the means of ousting their conservative rivals, while the conservatives shamelessly fear monger, knowing it’s a valid campaign strategy that yields results.
What makes a good pope? Someone who works tirelessly towards the position, or someone who doesn’t necessarily want the position at all? Watching a bunch of men in red robes try to figure it out as I sipped a Catholic drink (the house Shiraz) seems about as close as I’ll get to heaven as an unbaptised nonbeliever, but it sure was a fun way to spend two hours on a Monday night.
A big part of the enjoyment comes from the performances, and there are plenty of standouts here. Ralph Fiennes really is fabulous as the curious and exasperated Cardinal Lawrence, who tries to remain impartial despite being privy to several candidates' indiscretions. John Lithgow has ‘tall and untrustworthy’ down to a tee, and Sergio Castellitto brings both gravitas and comic relief as the paradoxical Cardinal Tedesco. Stanley Tucci slips into his role as the liberal but lowkey snakey Bellini with ease, and Isabella Rossellini emits a righteous, simmering anger as Sister Agnes, the caterer and head housekeeper who knows everyone’s secrets and is done keeping them.
Bless me, Father, for I bought cinnamon scented candles.
But the most surprising performance comes from Carlos Diehz as Cardinal Benítez, especially considering it is his first – EVER. Having worked as an architect for 30 years in Mexico City, Diehz settled in Vancouver and during the pandemic, decided to revisit his early passion for acting by taking online workshops. After auditioning in 2022 he was hired and received mentorship from Fiennes and Lithgow on set. In Conclave, he brings his experiences as an immigrant to the character of Benítez, a soft spoken, mysterious character whose purpose becomes paramount as the story unfolds.
Then there’s the ever present background character of the Vatican itself. The inherent beauty of the Roman architecture does a lot of the aesthetic heavy lifting but acclaimed cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine (A Prophet, Jackie) captures its intimidating scale and the richness of the palette in quite a breathtaking way. Costume designer Lisy Christl’s choice to swap the Argento red vestments of present day for those inspired by older, darker 15th century counterparts does indeed read better on camera. A lot of work has been put into the look and feel of the film and it contributes greatly to pulling off some of the narrative’s twistier turns towards the end.
When you call my name, it’s like a little prayer.
There’s been some talk about the film’s conclusion. For me, Conclave’s ending is the most thematically perfect mic drop Harris/Straughan could’ve envisioned. It may prove, as it has for several old men on Facebook who have labelled it ‘ridiculous’, too much of an ask for some audiences to believe. But that is what the film is about, after all. Before the conclave Cardinal Lawrence says “If there was only certainty and no doubt, there would be no mystery. And therefore, no need for faith.” You’d best check your disbelief at the door.
Conclave is an unexpected crowd pleaser. It injects what is essentially a few rounds of dudes voting in a new Capo with the mystery, intrigue and political strategising of a season of Succession. It’s brilliantly acted, gorgeous to look at and listen to, and offers those hungry for goss something juicy to chew on.
Verdict
☆☆☆☆
Conclave is in cinemas January 9th. It’d be a sin to miss it.
