A couple weeks ago, I was musing about what would happen if the Pope dies and a new Pope needs to be selected. A friend looked at me, shocked. “You haven’t watched “Conclave”?!” she demanded. I took this conversation as a cue to go and watch “Conclave” immediately, if only to educate myself about what exactly the protocol is to select a new Pope. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and so I am here now to review it and to share what I have learned about the pick-a-new-Pope process.
I should open with a disclaimer that I know very little about Catholicism, beyond what I’ve learned in European history courses. I can’t speak to how accurately the film represented the Catholic Church, or even the process of the conclave itself. After some brief research, it seemed as though the Catholic world itself is divided on how accurate “Conclave” was, so without any consensus there, I will just be sharing my own thoughts and reactions as a non-Catholic.
“Conclave” is the story of what happens after the Pope dies and Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with overseeing the conclave to select the next Pope. Cardinals pour in from all over the world, and the leading candidates for the job are the American liberal Cardinal Aldo Bellini (Stanley Tucci), the Canadian moderate Cardinal Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow), the Nigerian conservative Cardinal Joshua Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), and the Italian traditionalist Cardinal Goffredo Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto). Lawrence supports his longtime friend Bellini, but is also certain in his conviction that he must find the best man for the job, the man who embodies the ideals of the Catholic Church (at least, the ideals that Lawrence believes the Catholic Church should embody).
In the midst of all these well-established cardinals is a wildcard (wildcardinal? Okay, I’ll stop). Cardinal Vincent Benitez is a little-known Cardinal who had a series of difficult assignments before being secretly appointed to Kabul. His over-earnest manner stands in stark contrast with the ambitious, often scheming cardinals who make up the majority of the conclave.
The movie’s premise might seem boring at first glance. Mostly, it’s a bunch of old guys talking to each other. But when these old guys are played by the likes of Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci, it becomes engaging entertainment. Fiennes is fantastic throughout the film. I hadn’t seen him play many wholly sympathetic characters before, but it became easy to root for and sympathize with Lawrence as he tries to navigate a near-impossible situation. For most of the film, Lawrence plays the role of investigator, uncovering the lies and crimes of the cardinals around him in his search for one who might be worthy of the papacy. Tucci has great acting chemistry with Fiennes, and does an excellent job portraying a man who has convinced himself that he doesn’t want the papacy while simultaneously being driven almost to the brink by his ambition. The friendship between these two men forms the emotional heart of the movie.
The plot of the movie itself is fairly easy to predict. Along with Bellini, you’ve got three other leading contenders, one of whom is a sex offender, one of whom committed simony, and one of whom is just an all out racist/homophobe/etc. And then there’s the unexpected candidate, Benitez, who is immediately established as truly pious, kind hearted, and true to his beliefs almost to a fault. In a movie that’s all about the quest to live up to one’s own ideals, I’ll leave you to guess which one becomes Pope in the end.
Along with this drama within the conclave, there’s drama in the outside world, with a suicide bombing attempt driving the movie into its third and final act. The discussions of Catholic/Muslim relations felt a little simplistic at times, and the solution to these discussions also felt a tad idealistic. But something needs to move the plot forward, and this seemed to be as good a solution as any.
A more successful attempt at political dialogue came about in the way the film discusses the place of women within the Catholic Church. Isabella Rossellini is wonderful as Sister Agnes, the head housekeeper for the cardinals at the conclave. She doesn’t have many lines, but every time she does speak she commands the screen. Her role and presence are a necessary reminder of the darker side of the tradition and opulence of the Catholic Church.
The film certainly spares no expense when it comes to aesthetics. The costume design is fantastic, and as a viewer I felt the tension between the stifling nature of tradition combined with the awe it inspires. The score of the movie is equally excellent and creates another layer of gravitas to the story. Add in fantastic performances from all the lead actors and I felt deeply invested in a story that I initially thought I wouldn’t be able to relate to at all.
That question of relatability brings me to my final point about the film. Sure, “Conclave” is about the Catholic Church, about the papacy, about things that don’t play a major role in my own life or experience of the world. At the same time, however, “Conclave” asks bigger questions about power, who is worthy to wield it and what people are willing to do to get it. The conclave turns out to be a perfect setting for a film interested in questions of power and the right to rule, and for that reason, I found it fascinating.
Overall, “Conclave” is an engaging film that asks important questions, led by great actors and buoyed by excellent design. The plot might be a bit predictable at first, but it’s the journey, not the destination that makes “Conclave” great. And I highly doubt whether anyone saw that twist at the end coming.
