Twin Cities Film Fest kicked off its 10-day film festivities yesterday with Focus Features’ papal mystery thriller CONCLAVE. It’s one of my most anticipated Fall films thanks to the all-star cast filled with Oscar nominees, Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, and John Lithgow.
Directed by Edward Berger, the 2023 Oscar winner for All Quiet on the Western Front, based on a best-selling novel by Robert Harris, it revolves around the ancient Catholic practice of the Papal Conclave, where cardinals come together behind the closed doors of the Vatican to choose a new Pope. The Pope is dead, leaving the throne suddenly vacant. We see the dread of the dire situation in Cardinal Thomas Lawrence’s (Fiennes) face as he rushes to the Apostolic Palace, accompanied by ominous string music by Volker Bertelmann. Cardinals gather around the deceased Pope, praying in Latin, then the papal ring is removed from cold, dead fingers and placed in a box. Berger astutely captures so many details of the regalia and ritualistic display of honoring ancient Catholic traditions which can be unsettling and fascinating in equal measure.
As cardinals from all over the world begin to gather, all the secrecy and rumors of gross misconduct begin to emerge. The one person who bears the brunt of all these shocking revelations is Lawrence, who as the dean of the College of Cardinals is in charge of running the conclave. He’s the classic reluctant leader as he’s been wanting to resign as dean and has no desire to succeed the late Pope. He turns into the Cardinal ‘Poirot’ but it’s tricky to do an investigation when the Cardinals are sequestered during the conclave.
While Tucci and Lithgow bring their usual A game, Fiennes owns the film with his quiet intensity. Cardinal Lawrence’s faith is put to the test as he struggles with his own spiritual doubts. The tense conversations between these acting juggernauts are fun to watch, as each portrays a cardinal with their own biases, ambitions, and agenda just like politicians do. At one point one character laments ‘Are we considering the least worst option?’ which is extra relevant given we’re just a couple of weeks before the US election.
It’s mostly a white-boys-game, but three figures outside of that exclusive club stand out: Isabella Rosellini as the non-nonsense Sister Agnes, Lucian Msamati as Nigerian cardinal Adeyemi, and Carlos Diehz as the new Afghanistan cardinal of Mexican descent, Benitez. Rosellini and Diehz got their respective mic-drop moment that showcases the outstanding script by Peter Straughan.
The movie subtly touches on the relevance of the Catholic Church regarding women and LGBTQ issues and some recent scandals, but for the most part, Berger focuses on the power struggle and how faith & politics collide within the church. I won’t delve too much into that to avoid spoilers, though I wish the trailer hadn’t given away a major event that takes place midway through. While the vibe is mostly solemn and somber, Berger manages to infuse some humor, such as when Benitez arrives fresh from Kabul, leaving the Cardinals wondering just how big the Catholic community is in Afghanistan. Brían F. O’Byrne as Vatican official O’Malley who vets papacy candidates becomes a comic relief of sorts in the way he reveals one bombshell after another to Lawrence.
The film looks regal and expensive, with top-notch production design, costumes, sound design, and score. I was in awe by its stunning cinematography by Stephane Fontaine, with some dramatic wide shots, such as the bird’s eye view of the cardinals holding white umbrellas walking in a courtyard. Props to Berger for crafting an immersive and engrossing film out of a seemingly mundane, dialog-heavy old-fashioned tradition that mostly takes place in a single location.
Shot in Rome’s legendary Cinecittà Studios, it’s a highly atmospheric film as all the rivalry, jealousy, and disdain ricochet off the beautifully painted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. I could easily see this film sweeping next year’s Academy Awards, including nominations for Best Picture and Best Screenplay. Perhaps Fiennes will finally nab an Oscar as this is easily his finest performance in his illustrious career. Conclave is easily one of the best films of the year, who knew that papal election tale could be this enthralling?
What are your thoughts on CONCLAVE?
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I do want to see this as the subject matter and cast does have me intrigued.
This is really good! Such a pleasant surprise but will likely be an Oscar contender this year, I’m rooting for Ralph Fiennes for Best Actor!
Aand Here We GO, TCFF! My Dad was just telling me at dinner he wants to see this. Sounds like a top-notch production.. would love to see Fiennes win an Oscar.
Yeah, the production design, costume design, etc. are astounding! Not sure what the budget is but it sure looks expensive, reminds me a bit of Netflix’s THE CROWN. Yeah, rooting for Ralph Fiennes too!
I thought Ralph Fiennes was overlooked for an Oscar nomination for The Constant Gardener. Really looking forward to seeing this one.
Yeah, he was excellent there and also A Bigger Splash with Tilda Swinton. He’s such a versatile actor!
I’ve seen lots of good reviews of this one other sites too, I’ll make sure to see it when it hits streaming. If it does get lots of love from the Oscar folks, Edward Berger will definitely getting either the new James Bond or Jason Bourne directing duty.
Ahah yeah, I think that could be the case, as that’s how the Broccolis recruited another German-born director Marc Forster after his success in Monster’s Ball and Finding Neverland.
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Great review, Ruth.
And who knew? I knew! Raised catholic until teens, and a movie I did about the pedophile priest molestations were big lessons.
The research I did for the movie was so extensive, that Christopher Plummer would call me for catholic tech consultations over the ex-priest they hired for that. (He must have been an Anglican priest, before he left and became a drunk)
I found everything fascinating, and highly obnoxious all at once. The crosses, the rings, the cassocks, the hierarchy, ceremonies et al equal the most advanced developed cult imaginable. (From the mind of a non believer)
4.5 is a great rating. I’ll be watching this!
Thanks for the review!
Hello Resa! I was raised Catholic as well until I went to college. There’s so much pomp and circumstance in all the rituals in Catholic mass and ceremonies, so yeah, fascinating to watch and I’d imagine, do research on for a movie 🙂
I wouldn’t say I’m on board with Catholic teachings and papal primacy, since I think they stray from Scripture, but I still very much believe in the Christian faith
Wow, Christopher Plummer called you a Catholic tech consultant? That is amazing Resa, and that is pretty crazy what happened to the ex-priest they hired for Our Fathers… that’s the name of the film, right? I had to look it up on IMDb 😉
Yes, “Our Fathers”. It was quite the experience working on that film. Definitely several anecdotes for my memoirs book.
I haven’t been in “a mood” to write them up for quite awhile. There’s so much forward movement in life, it’s hard to find time to relive the past.
After all I learned, and your review, “Conclave” is a must watch for me.
Thanks Ruth…
Flixchatter – My go to for film reviews!
Awww, thank you Resa!! I’m so thrilled and honored that you come visit FlixChatter, and all the invaluable insights into your ever-so-fascinating movie life, so thank you!!
Welcome! Love it.
Great reviews as always. Conclave is definitely a movie I look forward to watching soon. Ralph Fiennes truly is an amazing actor in every sense of the word. He has been giving phenomenal performances for many years but has never been recognized for his work. I believe he should have won an Oscar many years ago for “Schindler’s List”. He was absolutely extraordinary as a Nazi commander. For this reason, Conclave is a movie I will be sure not to miss this year. Thanks for the recommendation.
Here’s why I loved Schindler’s List:
Hello Hassan! Sorry I missed your comment, somehow it got buried there as I was so busy with the film festival.
Yeah I’m flabbergasted that Ralph Fiennes has not won an Oscar yet. It could very well be his year, for sure he deserves a nomination for his performance here. This is such a complete contrast to his role in Schindler’s List, but great actors like him can play good and bad guys convincingly.
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I’m a little late to the party, but I did recently (finally) see Conclave which is a masterclass in acting. You mentioned Ralph Fiennes’ quiet intensity, which practically steals the film.
Isabella Rosselini is superb, too. She has a criminally small role, but an important one. It would not be the same film without her.
Hello Ruth! (my name is Ruth as well, high five!) No such thing as ‘late’ in seeing a movie, that’s the beauty of film, it can be appreciated long after its initial release 🙂
Yeah, I love Fiennes in understated roles like this, he’s amazing!! And I love that the director includes a strong female character in a largely male-dominated conclave process, and Rosselini does the job well. She made the role so memorable!
Hi five, Ruth! Glad to make your acquaintance.
Likewise!! Nice to meet another Ruth on the blogosphere. LOVE your blog!
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