Conclave (2024)
In the 2023 Oscars, Netflix’s All Quiet in the Western Front got 4 awards - Best International Feature, Best Score, Best Production Design, and Best Cinematography. While the opinion on the film itself was mixed, the director, Edward Berger, was soon launched into relevance among critics and cinephiles. His new film, “Conclave,” is a smart political thriller with noteworthy ideas, accompanied by refined performances, tensionful writing, and elevated cinematography.
“Conclave” follows the election of a new pope to the Catholic Church, and it comes with all the expected drama and controversy. Writer Peter Straughan manages to push intrigue and suspense while also reflecting modern ideas such as “the lesser of two evils” and “traditionalist vs progressive beliefs.” Upon watching this film, I noticed boundless commonalities between themes presented and modern real-world elections - scandal, political pressure, and the controversial sentiment of choosing a so-so candidate to ensure a larger standard is upheld. There’s something to be said about those who seek power and those who steer away from it in “Conclave”, and a good majority of the film’s runtime is on edge for that very reason, acting as if it would behoove the world not to care about this subsequently morbid occasion in where modern religion could be transformed. Surprisingly, confident word-of-mouth made me seek “Conclave” out over other new releases, especially since I heard there were plenty of twists and turns contained within. This statement is correct, and while I was admittedly expecting most of them, there was still plenty to leave me agape by the seemingly cordial conclusion.
In terms of 2024 mainstream fare, “Conclave” leans older in talent, having a noteworthy call sheet that feels right for this kind of thriller. Ralph Fiennes gives a refined and elegant performance as Cardinal Lawrence, bringing responsibility and level-headedness to a frenzied dog-eat-dog conclave. Stanley Tucci plays Bellini, a prime candidate for pope whose concern for the future outweighs any neutrality he may have. Other notable names include such faces as John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini.
From the very first frame of “Conclave,” the solitude of the cinematography immediately shows itself in striking location shots, intimate settings, and tense conversational angles. Given this takes place in Rome, the giant, philosophical architecture of the Catholic Church and the city makes everything seem more distant and imposes silent formality on behavior among cardinals, the press, and leaders. Moods surrounding the conclave change depending on what perspective is shown, and the ending shot is hands-down one of the best examples of societal resolution I’ve seen all year.
Overall, “Conclave” is one of the most tensionfully engrossing thrillers I’ve seen this year, whose realistic conflict makes it more relatable to audiences. Despite a slow pace at times, this is one of the more palatable dramas I’ve seen this year and is certainly worth a watch.
7.5/10 🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
Where to Watch: In Theaters (re-expansion), VoD (Video On Demand), Peacock
