Conclave

Your Eminence, we have a hit on our hands

For nearly a month, I’ve been hearing about Conclave screenings filled with senior citizens and the hilarious and heartwarming cinema experiences people have been having with this film. When my time to see it finally came, the audience was exactly what I had been hoping for. At my 2 p.m. Friday screening, I single handedly lowered the mean age by 20 years. As many jokes I've heard about the film and its cunty cardinals, I still had very little clue what kind of film I was walking into, simply for the reason that I’ve been doing this thing lately where I refuse to watch trailers for anything that I’m truly wanting to see. Trailers these days are getting increasingly spoilery in my opinion. 

Conclave (2024)

In short, Conclave is exactly what the title says it is. It’s a film about a papal conclave following the death of the current pope. Cardinals from around the world travel to Vatican for a multiday election that quickly turns messy. There is Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who leads the conclave and is one of those girls who say they hate the drama but secretly have their nose up in everyone’s business. There is  Cardinal Bellini (Stanely Tucci), a liberal candidate who is hesitant about becoming the pope the same way Lawrence is. Then there are Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), a socially conservative cardinal from Nigeria, Tremblay (John Lithgow), a Canadian moderate, and Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), an Italian traditionalist. As day one of voting starts, no one gets the needed two-thirds majority but Adeyemi springs into lead, while Bellini and Lawrence split the liberal vote. 

From there, gossip and secrets start to spread. A nun causes a stir in the cafeteria, a little-known Mexican cardinal working in Kabul appears out of nowhere but claims a close relationship to the late pope, others engage in common bribery. 

Conclave (2024)

There is something very timely about all of this, particularly watching it mere weeks after the US presidential election. While I’m not going to spoil the outcome of the conclave, there is a point in the film where the audience is very much led to believe that the conservative cardinal may snatch the win as the liberal camp fight and bicker amongst themselves, effectively splitting the vote and becoming unable to align on an approach in presenting their message. Sounds familiar, right? 

Conclave is timely in other ways, too, not just this one coincidental instance. It touches on topics of religion and its place in the modern world and examines interpersonal relationships and power in a way that feels both familiar and refreshing. 

As the cardinals debate and gossip, form alliances and break promises, in corners and stairwells, director Berger employs some of the most satisfying shots in this year’s cinema. With terrific use of colour and neatly composed closeups, Conclave is a pleasure to watch. 

Conclave (2024)

Perhaps what I found most impressive about Conclave is its ability to convey these serious messages while remaining engaging and fun. I know people have their opinions about posting quirky one liners in lieu of reviews on Letterboxd – I personally love them – but it’s no coincidence that scrolling through reviews for Conclave, I’ve encountered some of the funniest one liners on the website. It’s a courtroom drama at its core yet it allows itself to be memefied, transcending the divide between general population and the critics. It’s an unexpected crowd pleaser. Senior citizens are selling out matinees, kids are making memes, there seemingly isn't a soul left who hasn’t seen Conclave. 

Will it be a contender for Best Picture? I think it’s very likely. 

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