Conclave screened at BFI London Film Festival and is showing in cinemas nationwide from Friday, 29 November.
Although its premise of electing a new pope could make for a moderately engaging drama, Edward Berger’s Conclave packs the intensity of a thriller. With opposing ideologies fighting for control of an institution they believe they should own, its building suspense and playful use of shadows are borderline Hitchcockian. A riveting, pulpy examination of the purity of faith and the temptation of corruption, Conclave turns even the most seemingly mundane of religious rituals into a hypnotic game of power.
Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) serves as the Vatican’s Cardinal-Dean. Upon learning of the incumbent Pope’s death from a heart attack, it falls to him to organise the imminent papal conclave, in which the College of Cardinals gather to elect a new Pope. Multiple candidates put their names forward, many with vastly different visions for the future of the Church. Organising this sacred ritual is already taxing enough for Lawrence, who has gradually become disillusioned with the church. However, between the politically divided College and the growing hostility towards the church from the outside world, Lawrence finds his faith and character challenged as he prepares to anoint the new Pope.
Conclave proves uniquely timely as its narrative concerns the election process and the institutional corruption that can exist at the heart of democratic procedures, left to the most power-hungry. As Lawrence explains early in the film, his inner crisis is not one of faith but of the church; he’s devoted to God but believes the church has strayed into opportunism and avarice. He’s painfully aware of the modern-day scandals surrounding his institution, whether it’s rampant sexual misconduct or zealotry that goes too far and imposes one’s faith on others. He wants to see the church taken in a new direction, away from this sinful conduct, but doesn’t see how the College of Cardinals won’t tear itself apart in the process. With potential candidates venomously opposing each other, finding little common ground, one cannot help but reflect on the tumultuous nature of many modern elections worldwide.
A half dozen candidates vie for the role of Pope, with the most prominent on various ends of the political spectrum. Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci), like Lawrence, is a liberal who openly accepts LGBTQ+ rights and believes the church should welcome all religions. Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow) is a moderate conservative who would keep things largely the same. Then there’s Cardinal Tedesco, a radical traditionalist with Trumpian charisma and views on Islam. A lot rides on which of these candidates wins, including the fate of the church itself, which could either move with the times or be set back by the whims of men who value influence over faith and integrity.
Berger, best known for 2022’s All Quiet on the Western Front, captures pressure and anxiety in seemingly simple spaces. The cardinals are sequestered within the walls of the Vatican during the election process, and Berger and team capture their entrapment as it unfolds.
Tight framing and close-ups dominate the picture, with the Cardinals imprisoned by their fickle voting decisions and inner dreams of ambition. The camera follows Lawrence through tracking shots, rarely ever giving him privacy as the weight of his duties threatens to crush him. The immaculate set designs tower over the characters as if the very history of their religion is looking down on them in judgment. The abundant use of red in their clothing and on the walls of the Vatican recalls classic Italian films like Argento’s Suspiria, but here, red signifies danger as much as the Catholic ideals of sacrifice and devotion. As Cardinal Benitez (Carlos Diehz) observes, the most dangerous men are the ones who want power the most.
These stunning visuals help explore harrowing themes. The ease with which democratic processes can be corrupted or taken for granted by those who engage with them, even in good faith, as Lawrence does, is evident as various scandals surrounding the candidates and the late Pope come to light throughout the narrative. Yet, as Lawrence addresses in a speech he makes at the beginning of the conclave, tolerance might be the thing most at stake here. In pursuing power within the church, many forget the teachings they claim to uphold. They proclaim themselves messengers of God, yet actively go against his word by showing loyalty to the institution rather than the Holy Spirit or by wanting to twist religious ideals to suit their own agendas. These men are certain that they are destined for greatness, but as Lawrence powerfully observes, if there is no doubt or uncertainty, then how can there possibly be faith? Only by tolerating the uncertainties of other people, cultures, and ideas can the conclave strive to achieve unity.
Lawrence proves a fascinating protagonist as he wrestles with what it means to be a man of God within an institution of notable systemic problems, whether it’s the sexual abuse scandals dating back decades or the desires of those seeking the title of Pope. Fiennes embodies the character’s inner anguish as Lawrence struggles to choose between duty, diminishing faith, and personal ambition. Through his portrayal of resilience, masking subdued doubt and disillusionment, Fiennes delivers one of his best-ever performances, his emotional strife amidst the sea of greedy certainty taking us through the suspense and exhilaration of the film’s thriller elements. It all culminates in a twist ending that may seem out of nowhere to some, but to this critic, it wraps up Lawrence’s arc on tolerance and devotion to religion in a stellar fashion.
Conclave may seem like just another religious drama, but its execution is utterly nail-biting. The film twists, turns, ponders, and scrutinises throughout its runtime, engrossing us with claustrophobic filmmaking and a thrilling lead performance. Like its tormented main character, it provokes reflection and consideration, especially in the wake of contemporary elections, where opposing political views have never been more divided – but continually leaves us mesmerised, even as the weight of doubt and despondency seeks to overwhelm us. Smart and satirical, with suspense and wit, Conclave is one of the best films of 2024.
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