How does one, specifically Edward Berger, follow up All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)? With one of the most interesting and captivating stories about selecting a new Pope and the events that happen during the conclave. For a task that seems like any other arbitrary voting process to select a new leader that isn’t determined by the public, the movie is anything but arbitrary, featuring some all-time brilliant performances and a third-act reveal that left my jaw unhinged in shock. Conclave takes a story that shouldn’t be interesting and makes it one of the most engaging and interesting executions — a marvel of religiously epic proportions.
Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence in director Edward Berger’s CONCLAVE, a Focus Features release. Photo Credit: Philippe Antonello/Focus Features. © 2024 Focus Features, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
The film focuses on Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) who is in charge of leading the conclave to decide the new Pope, a position he adamantly claims he does not want and has no interest in being part of the congregation after the decision is made. While no one expected the death of the former sitting Pope, there are a few front runners for the position, including Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci), Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow), Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), and a new cardinal who entered under extreme circumstances and how he was made a cardinal being a mystery, Cardinal Benitez (Carlos Diehz). While going through a voting process for a new Pope, there are going to be some tricky maneuvers to try and win the candidacy, but the level of chaos and conspiracy that Cardinal Lawrence faces throughout the journey is on the same level of espionage as any Mission Impossible or James Bond film. Conclave captures something truly difficult, and that is taking the idea of selecting a new Pope to new heights and layering it with multiple levels of intrigue, collusion, conspiracy, chaos, and madness.
L-R: Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence and Stanley Tucci as Cardinal Bellini in director Edward Berger’s CONCLAVE, a Focus Features release. Photo courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024 Focus Features, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
When a film boasts arguably four of the best actors currently living on this planet, it would be hard to argue that the performances are nothing shy of Oscar calibre brilliance. That is what occurs in Conclave; Tucci (Undercover Blues; Easy A), Fiennes (The LEGO Batman Movie; In Bruges), and Lithgow (Shrek; Pitch Perfect 3) are all unmatched and somehow manage to outdo each other with every scene. Isabella Rossellini (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On; Incredibles 2) as Sister Agnes matches the energy and performances that are put out by her male co-stars and brings an incredible nuance and level of care to the character and the role of the sister in the church. Lucian Msamati (See How They Run) and Sergio Castellitto (Paris Je T’aime) are also in top form throughout, as is Carlos Diehz, allowing Conclave to not only be one of the most perfectly well-rounded movies of the year. Following up what many tout as one of the greatest war pictures of all time with what can be described and distinguished as one of the greatest movies about the church is simply an accomplishment that wasn’t expected. Berger assembled a top-tier cast that knew what they had to bring to the table to ensure that Conclave would take something as uninteresting to a wide audience as electing a Pope and make it one of the most engaging thrillers of the year.
Isabella Rossellini stars as Sister Agnes in director Edward Berger’s CONCLAVE, a Focus Features release. Photo courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024 Focus Features, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
There is sheer brilliance and perfection delivered on all fronts, but the screenplay penned by Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy; Frank), based on the Robert Harris novel of the same name, is what holds every top-shelf ingredient together. Conclave is the cinematic equivalent of having your cake and eating it, too. When everything comes together so effortlessly and lines up perfectly, it is hard not to hyperbolize, but Conclave is one of the very rare examples of a film that classifies as flawless.
Screening during Toronto International Film Festival 2024.
In U.S. theaters October 25th, 2024.
In Canadian theaters November 1st, 2024.
For more information, head either to the official Conclave TIFF 2024 or Focus Features webpage.
Final Score: 5 out of 5.
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Categories: Films To Watch, In Theaters, Recommendation, Reviews
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