I absolutely loved Conclave (2024). In light of fairly recent global events, it is a well-timed film that will have you on edge the whole way through. From start to finish, it held me both as a suspenseful thriller and as a richly layered character study.
Directed by Edward Berger, Conclave is a suspense-filled drama that focuses on the process of electing a new leader for the Catholic Church. After the pope passes away, the head of the Cardinal College, Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is in charge of the conclave. Over the course of the conclave, tensions between the cardinals rise significantly, scandals are uncovered, and the film presents a big reveal at the end that could shake the very foundation of the Catholic Church.
The film is based on the 2016 novel of the same name, written by British writer Robert Harris, and stays true to the original story.
I was impressed by the atmosphere and tension the film builds as the cardinals gather in the Vatican for the conclave. Fiennes’ performance is remarkable. His Cardinal Lawrence grapples with faith, duty, and moral conflict that I was able to feel. The film feels like it is a renaissance painting, and the dialogue matches it perfectly.
The ensemble cast, including Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Sergio Castellitto, adds real depth. All of the side characters of nuns and cardinals add to the story and bring about different opinions and sides to the election.
Throughout the film, the soundtrack helps guide you along the journey of the conclave. The mostly orchestral music makes the film feel alive. From the start to the end of this two-hour movie, you can hear violins almost dance around the room, especially during key moments, filling it with suspense and a sense of uneasiness, which matches the uncertainty of the election.
Another strong point for me was how the film balances the sacred and the secular. While it’s about the election of a pope, it also explores themes of power, tradition vs. change, and faith vs. doubt. That gave it more weight than a standard thriller.
Yes, it ranks as one of my all-time favorites, but it’s not a perfect movie. The whole movie eventually builds up to this cliche of a huge secret, one that has been used in many thriller or suspense films, but still not a huge issue for me because they use it well. Some may say that the ending was “over the top” or “too much.”
There were times in the film where it did go a bit far with the characters and the story. For example, the different sides of this “cardinal war” were very stereotypical. For example, the cardinals from Rome want the Church to be more traditional, and the head nun is uptight and overly watchful, which detracted from the story I was immersed in.
Because of these more mature themes, Conclave is more for teens and adults who like serious drama movies and political thrillers.
Conclave premiered in U.S. theaters on October 25, 2024. You can watch it like I did, on Amazon Prime Video, or you can buy/rent it on Apple TV, Fandango, Google Play, and YouTube.
Conclave is one of my favorite movies of all time. The actors, the soundtrack, the cinematography and the overall story are all amazing. If you end up watching it, I know you’ll fall in love with it as much as I have.
