Conclave - Review

Going into Conclave I had very little knowledge of what I would be seeing and, as a result, I had basically no expectations for the film.

Having now seen the film, I feel that any expectations I might have had would have been surpassed.

"When Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with leading one of the world's most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, he finds himself at the centre of a conspiracy that could shake the very foundation of the Catholic Church." - IMDb

Directed by: Edward Berger

Written by: Peter Straughan and Robert Harris

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati, Carlos Diehz.

Introduction

I’m not somebody who knows or cares a huge deal about Vatican City and its many Popes, and I think it’s a real testament (pun was not intended) to the filmmakers that I was so quickly immersed and engaged in the tensions, the plots, and the betrayals of Conclave.

I enjoyed this film about the same amount that I enjoyed The Menu (also with Ralph), which just so happened to be a hell of a lot when I saw it for the first time recently - perhaps that’ll get a review at some point!

In this review, I refer to Conclave as a “film” and that’s because in a time of generic executive slop like Madame Web and all of the latest live-action remakes, it’s an important distinction to say that it’s a proper film with respect for the art, not just another movie or worse… content. *shudders*

I think this may have actually been filmed on film too, it had that look to it, but I didn't find an answer online unfortunately!

Performances

When it comes to the acting, there are some incredible performances from Ralph Fiennes and Lucian Msamati in particular and they really had me gripped, Ralph doing most of the gripping due to being the lead of course. It’s slightly bizarre to think I’ve just watched Voldemort have an emotional breakdown, but luckily I didn’t realise that during the film.

He really does a great job of selling just how much of a toll is being taken on Lawrence throughout every stage of the election. I would also say that Ralph successfully puts across the struggles that come with a responsibility to remain neutral as the manager of this event, all while battling internally with his own potential ambitions or lack thereof, and finally a crisis of faith.

Fiennes makes an undying sense of duty strongly felt on several levels and I think he deserves to win an Oscar for this role.

Stanley Tucci was pretty good too, he kept me engaged and intrigued. At times he did just feel like Stanley Tucci, but I don’t mean that in a bad way, I think he’s a very good actor! You can decide what that means to you.

Lucian had some really solid scenes showing a great ability to portray guilt and shame, which in my opinion are nearly always interesting to watch in these kinds of settings and characters, though I do wish he had a little more screen time.

Overall, this was a very solid outing from the whole cast!

Technical Analysis

Cinematography

The cinematography of Conclave is seriously good. It manages to be impactful and also strikingly beautiful with its visuals and I really appreciate how the cinematography and the score each paint a picture that emphasises and builds on what is already a captivating premise. There’s some really stunning use of symmetry and great work with the lighting in particular!

I feel like I could pick almost any scene and find a shot that I’d happily have framed on my wall. Especially that one shot with all the umbrellas - if you know, you know, it’s great stuff. I’d also like to quickly highlight that there’s some gorgeous use of colour in here, it’s mainly using red due to the general décor of the interiors and uniforms, but nonetheless they make it look stunning.

Score & Soundtrack

Going back to the score, which I’m listening to as I write this review, it instantly had me hooked with the first note as the film opens with a smash cut to Cardinal Lawrence clutching a briefcase on his way to visit the late Pope one last time to lay him to rest.

Not once did the score cease to be an atmospheric and tension building machine and for that reason, I instantly added it to my Spotify playlists when I left the theatre. Even if you haven’t seen the film, I’d encourage you to give it a listen so you can understand how it takes on a character of its own. - For the added immersion, why not try it at your next church service!

I don’t know quite how else to describe the score other than to say it’s like having a very threatening clock on your shoulder which can dance around beautifully, while also communicating a sense of dread and urgency on both a grand and intimate scale as it ticks away.

It reminded me of the score to Detroit: Become Human sometimes, which is a massive compliment as far as I’m concerned!

Writing & Pacing

The writing and pacing of Conclave was very good, I thought. The dialogue all felt very natural and realistic and from the interactions to the subject matter as a whole, it was well done and handled with a great deal of respect.

One thing I wasn’t expecting was just how many laughs came out of this film. Conclave isn’t a comedy by any stretch of the imagination, but some of the conversations, reveals and mannerisms of the characters delivering these to us are undeniably funny in a way that doesn’t at all detract from the gravity of the situation. One particular scene takes the crown for “most diabolical vape hit of all time” as I saw it referenced on Letterboxd, and I completely agree.

There was also one particular reveal that was a lot of fun hearing the reactions to, given the rest of the audience were from a much older generation and met the reveal with equal amounts amusement and horror - if you’ve seen the film you know exactly what I’m talking about and I personally thought it was a genius way to take the story and one that presents a ton of rhetorical questions to the audience. This is what a great film should do, challenge you and keep you thinking even after the credits roll!

These reveals weren't just there for shock value, however. All twists, turns, lines and nuances tie into one another and serve the development of the characters with great efficiency. How will they react? Will they see an opportunity for greed here? How are they growing and changing as this tightly wound plot evolves?

The decisions we see Lawrence make, no matter how small, all come together to inform the journey he goes on throughout the film. He doesn't want the papacy. He's trying to help Bellini. Who's this new person? Maybe he secretly does want the papacy. Maybe he wants to leave the church and let it all go? There are a lot of intertwined conflicts explored in Conclave and the story feels far more human and relatable for it, it's definitely one that will sit fondly in my memory for quite some time!

The pacing is relatively slow, as this is a political thriller with little in the way of action, but that’s not a problem for me.

I love a good slow burn that knows to take time and care when telling its story, and while I know that won’t appeal to everyone, I think this massively plays into the favour of Conclave. You can tell how much intentionality went into producing this script, and it pays off more than I can say.

Costume & Set Design

The costume department seems to have done a pretty good job of ensuring accuracy and attention to detail, but I really need to give a shout-out to whoever built and decorated the sets.

After some research, I found that they were not allowed to film in the real Vatican or Sistine Chapel - this is no surprise! What I was surprised and impressed by was the fact that I couldn’t tell. The crew of Conclave built a highly detailed and convincing replica of the Sistine Chapel and I can’t stress enough how much of a difference effort like this makes!

These details definitely help to elevate the entire project and played a large part in creating a highly claustrophobic atmosphere in which to tell this genuinely riveting story, from the high halls of the chapel to the tight and intimidating marble corridors.

Evaluation

At its core, Conclave strives to cut into the heart of the Catholic Church, but not in a way that comes across horribly or unfairly. I’ve seen a few interviews with director Edward Berger, Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci where they discuss this and they chose to highlight how they have no intention to harm or bring down the church.

The idea is to explore that at the end of the day, the people of the church and Vatican are just that, human people. They may take comfort in the approval of God and work hard to uphold a set of ideals as a way of life, priding themselves on this, but nobody is perfect and you can’t always be at your best.

As Fiennes and the rest of the cast delve deep into the minds and hearts of the characters, they uncover each other's relationships with guilt, shame, ambition, greed, racism/nationalism and even gender and its enforced roles. These topics all make for extremely intriguing touchstones in the plot, and the setting in which these themes take place only serves to make them more interesting and powerful.

Verdict

In a cinematic climate that seems to be constantly going through an identity crisis, it’s deeply refreshing to come across a film - in every sense of the word - that clearly has a vision and isn’t afraid to stand tall, firmly and concisely guiding you through an expertly written narrative.

Conclave wastes no time. It’s a slow burn but it never drags and knows exactly when and where to take you from the very first to the very last shot, masterfully crafted for maximum impact and efficiency.

For all of the above reasons, Conclave is easily one of the best films of 2024 and now an all time favourite of mine which I can’t wait to revisit.

Thank you Edward, Ralph and everyone else involved for creating this piece of art.

10/10

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