Conclave is one of those movies you can’t say too much about, however what I can say is, you GO SEE IT! It’s a brilliant mystery that while set around the election of a new Pope, could easily relate to any election.
With news that the Pope has suddenly passed, the focus turns to electing a new head of the church. As protocol dictates over 100 Cardinals from around the world join together to deliberate. One man, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is responsible for gathering everyone together and outlining the proceedings. His opening speech sets the tone. It also raises eyebrows when he talks about “living beyond certainty” and asks the congregation to think carefully about their decision.
As the Cardinals are locked away in the Vatican, factions form. The first vote outlines the four strongest candidates vying for the position, Bellini (Stanley Tucci), Tremblay (John Lithgow), Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) and Wozniak (Jacek Koman). Cardinal Lawrence’s name also appears.
One would think that being Cardinals each would be above reproach, but as the voting continues across several days, secrets and conspiracies are revealed.
Sister Agnes (Isabella Rossellini) heads up a large team of nuns. While their remit is to tend to the Cardinals meals, they have eyes and ears that see and hear everything going on, a fact the Sister points out at a crucial stage.
As the audience sat taking in what they’d seen I pondered:
- It’s not often people hang around after a movie asking others what they thought. That was the case with Conclave. Three different groups of people stopped me to chat about the movie;
- The movie looks at the futility of seeking control. The more we try, the more it slips from our grasp;
- It also asks an interesting question about our ability to live beyond certainty. How often we punt for the usual, the ordinary or expected instead of considering alternatives;
- Ralph Fiennes is brilliant as the man tasked with gaining a result. He continues to convey a myriad of thoughts with an intense stare and crinkle of his forehead;
- The movie is beautifully shot, with some birdseye-view images reminding me of The Handmaids Tale.
- While this election focuses on the church, the gameplay sits just as easily in any political election. At times I couldn’t help extrapolating out to the upcoming State or Federal elections.
For more information go to Luna Palace Cinemas. The season starts January 9, 2025.
