Review 736: Conclave

 

Conclave is a fantastic political thriller. Smart, thought-provoking, at times funny and with Ralph Fiennes  in the central role.

Based on the novel Conclave by Robert Harris; The Church's most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world, locked together in the Vatican halls. Tasked with running this covert process, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) finds himself at the center of a conspiracy and discovers a secret that could shake the very foundation of The Church.

It's a film that takes us behind a very secretive world that no one's ever seen and probably will never see but at the same time will cause us to rethink our initial impressions  It’s a religious drama wrapped up in a detective story. It’s about the danger of certainty, a meditation on power and how it should never be given to anyone who wants power. 

There's a lot of infighting and lots of subtle and not so subtle backstabbing  Confining the film to the Vatican for the majority of the films 120 minute runtime is a bold and daring move that pays off in the

Edward Berger (who directed the recent adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front) directs this film with a lot of visual panache. He and his cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine get a lot of milage out of the films setting. Every shot is gorgeously framed  the reds of the of the cardinals robes, the production design is immaculate 

There's something about Ralph Fiennes magnetic screen presnece that just hooks you and lulls you into every character he plays. He's got his doubts, he's a religious but questioning man. He's a man of spiritual integrity.

Stanley Tucci  playing Cardinal Aldo Bellini. Bellini is an American liberal and is the favourite to win the election but doesn't want to become the new Pope or at least that's what he says. Tucci was wonderfully enigmatic in the role, embodying him as someone whose  are quite blurred and you never know when he's lying or not.

John Lithgow is appropriately shaddy playing Cardinal Joseph Tremblay

Sergio Castellitto (whom audiences will recognise as the evil King Miraz from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian) is also  playing Cardinal Goffredo Tedesco

Oh, Isabella Rossellini is also in this movie. She only in a couple of scenes and speaks very little but when she speaks, you listen because she doesn't suffer fools.

5/5.