After months of hearing rave reviews about Edward Berger’s film “Conclave,” I decided to give the papal thriller a chance, watching the film the first day it was available for streaming on Peacock. At first, my expectations were low. As a product of Catholic education who was force-fed films depicting the religion from a young age, media about the church rarely captures my interest. Yet “Conclave” proved to be an exception, gripping me from the first scene, set at the Pope’s deathbed, all the way to its shocking conclusion.
The film begins with a bang, immediately thrusting viewers into the chaos that follows the death of a pope. The cardinals begin scurrying and scheming before the outgoing pope’s body is even cold, each having their own tightly-held beliefs on who is worthy to become the next leader of the Catholic Church. This may be because it’s top-of-mind, but it’s hard not to draw parallels between the recent presidential election and the papal election – as we see the cardinals in “Conclave” divide into their own factions and ruthlessly plot against those outside of their own.
Before the first ballot, Cardinal Lawrence, played by Ralph Fiennes, gives a homily encouraging his fellow cardinals to embrace doubt and uncertainty. As the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Lawrence is tasked with leading the search for the next pope. His words outline the film’s overarching theme, and also mirror his character’s own uncertainty regarding his faith.
For each round of voting, the cardinals meet at the Sistine Chapel. Though photography of the sacred space is strictly forbidden, the filmmakers did an excellent job recreating the Michelangelo paintings stretched across the walls and high ceilings. As someone who’s been inside the chapel several times, I was in awe of how well the set designers replicated the place burned into my memory.
In the several ballots that ensue, the cardinals are faced with a series of scandals that rock the conclave and the integrity of the Catholic Church to its core. Between a potential murder plot, a secret love child and a bribery scheme, the cardinals find themselves constantly grappling with their sin while attempting to elect the purest among them. The shadowy figures and secret dealings bring a sense of suspense to “Conclave,” creating a tone reminiscent of a murder mystery rather than a political thriller.
“Conclave” jumps the shark slightly towards its conclusion; however, the turn of events gives way to the epic, yet controversial, plot twist that defines the film. Though I won’t reveal spoilers, the new pope elected at the end of the conclave perfectly encapsulates the film’s themes of embracing uncertainty and existing between two binaries. However, I can see how the ending could be interpreted as a political statement, in light of growing disdain towards the Catholic Church and their traditionalist views.
Along with storytelling, I was thoroughly impressed with the ensemble in “Conclave.” At first, the thought of a film centering a predominantly older male cast didn’t sound enticing. Though I’ve admired the work of Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow, the lack of diversity within the main cast worried me. However, I was blown away by their performances, particularly Fiennes’ raw depiction of Cardinal Lawrence; his depiction of Lawrence’s crisis of faith was raw and devastating, giving an electrifying performance that is almost guaranteed to garner an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
Additionally, I was pleasantly surprised with Tucci and Lithgow. As someone who was previously more familiar with their comedic acting, they excelled with these dark, brooding roles. I was particularly impressed with Tucci’s performance, as he perfectly captured the fear and anxiety of a cardinal who nearly gets elected pope, despite desperately wanting to avoid it. As the movie progresses, his character seamlessly transitions from sympathetic to sinister.
But by far, the standout was Carlos Diehz, who plays Cardinal Benitez. Mirroring his character in the film, Diehz was relatively unknown prior to “Conclave,” but made his mark nonetheless. Diehz’s powerful monologue to the conclave is the most memorable, thought-provoking moment of the film.
In addition to the stellar performances, the leading cast depicts an array of archetypes within the Catholic Church. The four leading candidates for pope are Tucci’s Aldo Bellini, a liberal American in the vein of the outgoing pope; Joshua Adeyemi, a Nigerian social conservative who is vocally homophobic; Canadian Joseph Tremblay, a more mainstream conservative; and Italian Goffredo Tedesco, a traditionalist who chastises his peers for not conducting mass in Latin. Though fictionalized, these characters represent different factions within the Catholic Church, forcing viewers to connect what they’re seeing on screen with real-world ideological debates within the church.
Beyond the fast-paced plot and immersive acting, the film is gaining praise for its cinematography, led by acclaimed cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine. The visuals throughout the film are striking, illuminating the drama and high-stakes nature of the film. One of these shots is the infamous umbrella scene, where the cardinals march synchronously in the rain with uniform white umbrellas upon their arrival to Vatican City. At first, this scene looks straight out of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” but placing this strong visual at the beginning sets the eerie tone that remains present throughout the film.
Another powerful wide shot occurs closer to the conclusion, with Cardinal Lawrence standing in solitude following the shocking election of the new pope. Grappling with his conflicting feelings of what just occurred, a bright light illuminates the pensive Lawrence as we are left wondering what he’ll decide to do next.
Though I could go on about what I loved about this film, I’ll conclude by highlighting the score. It heightened emotion at exactly the right points, putting big crescendos at important moments — jolting audiences at the perfect times.
So far, “Conclave” has been nominated for Golden Globes in multiple categories, including Best Motion Picture — Drama, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Score, Best Actor in a Drama for Ralph Fiennes and Best Supporting Actress for Isabella Rossellini. Nominations in these categories were repeated for the Critics’ Choice Awards, plus nods for cinematography, editing, production design and costume design. With Academy Award nominations just around the corner, I’m hopeful this hot streak will continue.
Overall, “Conclave” is definitely one of my top films of 2024. Mysterious and suspenseful, yet devastating and heart-wrenching, it packs everything you could want into under two hours of film. I also believe it was released at just the right time, reminding viewers of the intensity of the election and sparking conversations about the Catholic Church’s place in an increasingly progressive world.
If you’re like me and waited far too long to watch this masterpiece of a film, I highly recommend you stream it here on Peacock.