In the captivating new drama “Conclave,” Ralph Fiennes delivers a tour-de-force performance as Cardinal Lawrence, a man tasked with overseeing the election of a new pope amidst a maelstrom of Vatican intrigue. Directed with elegant precision by Edward Berger and adapted from Robert Harris’s meticulously researched bestseller, the film offers a rare glimpse behind the closed doors of the Catholic Church’s most secretive ritual.
Fiennes’s Internalized Anguish Anchors the Film
At the heart of “Conclave” is Fiennes’s remarkably restrained portrayal of Cardinal Lawrence. Shouldering the immense responsibility of guiding the College of Cardinals through the selection process, Lawrence wrestles with grief, doubt, and the weight of his own faith. Fiennes masterfully internalizes this turmoil, conveying volumes through the subtlest of gestures – a bowed head, a twitching mouth, a furrowed brow.
The genius of Fiennes’s performance is that so little of it is worn on the surface. All the anguish, the grief over the death of his beloved leader, the churning doubts – all of it is internalised.
– A film critic close to the production
An Ensemble Cast of Scene-Stealers
While Fiennes anchors the film, “Conclave” is bolstered by an ensemble of scene-stealing supporting performances:
- Isabella Rossellini as the all-seeing Sister Agnes, delivering “the most passive-aggressive curtsey in cinema history.”
- Sergio Castellitto as the vaping, hardline traditionalist Cardinal Tedesco, conveying “savage animosity and raw ambition” with each puff.
- Brian F. O’Byrne as the conscience-stricken Vatican mole Monsignor O’Malley, his “fraught pauses” speaking volumes.
Berger’s Elegant Direction Elevates the Material
Director Edward Berger, fresh off his Oscar win for “All Quiet on the Western Front,” brings an elegant touch to “Conclave.” Collaborating again with cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine and composer Volker Bertelmann, Berger employs:
- Symmetrical framing to evoke the stifling constraints of Vatican tradition.
- Carefully positioned camera angles to magnify Fiennes’s internalized performance.
- Amplified sound design to heighten the tension of each hushed conversation and scuttling footstep.
A Universal Story of Power Struggles
While “Conclave” is steeped in the arcane traditions of the Catholic Church, its themes of power, ambition, and behind-the-scenes machinations are universally resonant. Stripped of its Vatican trappings, the film could easily be a boardroom thriller or an episode of “Succession,” a testament to the strength of Harris’s source material and Berger’s deft adaptation.
You may think that being locked in a room with a bunch of pompous elderly men deviously attempting to shaft each other wouldn’t be a lot of fun. But trust me on this: Conclave is a blast.
– An early review from a respected critic
“Conclave” is a rare cinematic treat – a gripping thriller that doubles as a showcase for powerhouse acting, particularly from the always-brilliant Ralph Fiennes. As it pulls back the curtain on one of the world’s most secretive institutions, the film invites us to ponder weighty questions of faith, doubt, and the all-too-human foibles that can corrupt even the most sacred of rituals. In the end, “Conclave” proves itself a worthy addition to the canon of Vatican intrigue, a film that will leave audiences both entertained and provoked in equal measure.
