Who knew selecting a new Pope could be so dramatic?
The new film “Conclave” is in the spirit of a Dan Brown-based film of almost 20 years ago, “The Di Vinci Code,” but without the skullduggery. Both involve sacred beliefs being put to the test through a convoluted story.
This is a sumptuous film, located in one of the world’s great religious centers and dealing with the selection of a new Pope after the unexpected death of the previous one. The conclave is the gathering of cardinals from around the world to select the new Pope from among their ranks. Cardinal Lawrence, the Dean of the College of Cardinals (Ralph Fiennes), is the reluctant organizer of the conclave. Not only does he have myriad organizational responsibilities, he has to deal with the personalities, ambitions, and constituent blocks among the gathered prelates.
Also clearly of note among the gathered red and white cardinals are the gray and black nuns who act as servants. They are silent, but see and hear everything.
Among the cardinals there are liberal and conservative groups – each maneuvering to outvote the other, while mystery after mystery appears for Lawrence to deal with. One of these is the arrival, at the last moment, of a cardinal no one knew anything about!
Screenwriter Peter Straughan (“The Goldfinch”) and novelist Robert Harris (“Munich: The Edge of War”) give us a taught mystery unfolding behind the sealed doors of the conclave while the world waits for vthe selection of a new Pope. The characters are finely delineated and performed by some of the best actors of our time. Even the dead Pope has a certain eloquent gravitas!
Director Edward Berger (“All Quiet on the Western Front”) has teased out Oscar-worthy performances from Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rosellini and others. It is a surefooted outing.
Soundtrack score: this is another area in which this movie shines. Volker Bartellman’s score is fitting to the religious pomp, but also the serious task before the characters. It occasionally punctuates, guiding us through serious moments with a single resounding chord. But otherwise it leaves us to savor the excellent delivery of writer Straughan’s dialogue without unnecessary intrusion.
Cinematography and editing capture both the vast scope of the spaces and the intimate moments where the real story lies. And this story really packs a punch with the denouement of its mysterious strands.
Runtime: Two hours
Availability: In theaters now and streaming on Peacock
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