Conclave mirrors the world's political divisions in its dramatization of choosing a new Pope

Set in the aftermath of the unexpected death of a Pope, Conclave follows Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who is tasked to oversee the selection of the new leader of the Catholic Church. As cardinals from across the world assemble at the Vatican, suspicions and tensions emerge as various ideological and personal factions vie for power. Structured as a detective film, Lawrence must ensure things go smoothly. Gripped by a crisis in faith and identity, though, he struggles in his role, unable to shake the judgement of the recently deceased Pope who called him a “manager” rather than a follower.

One by one, we get to know the various competing religious beliefs at play within the Church. Pulled between tradition and liberalism, as well as various linguistic and national factions, the Church seems irreparably divided. Though we scarcely see beyond the walls of Vatican City, the violence and tensions of the real world bleed over into their decision-making process. While the film pales in terms of depth and absurdity to Paolo Sorrentino’s double-bill miniseries The Young Pope and The New Pope, Conclave nonetheless suggests cleverly the weight of what is at play.

The film has already been discussed as a kind of parallel to the upcoming American election. It’s a movie about the ugliness of blind ambition and it offers a cautionary message about choosing between two evils and the challenging work of creating change. Conclave loses some of its edge in this analogy, which cheapens the specifics of Catholicism’s battle for relevance and influence. While consistently entertaining, the film flattens questions of competing ideologies and the magical decadence of religious belief in favour of something with a broader appeal. It also means that the film’s final “twist,” though handled well by the actors, loses its potency. Instead of a significant or miraculous revelation, it becomes merely a plot contrivance. ■

Conclave (directed by Edward Berger)

Conclave is now streaming on Prime Video. This review was originally published as part of our TIFF 2024 coverage.

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