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Ralph Fiennes Transforms the Sacred Human in ‘Conclave’

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Ralph Fiennes Transforms the Sacred Human in ‘Conclave’

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If I could only give a one-word critique of Edward Berger’s “Conclave,” it would be “unexpected.”

While this may seem vague, that’s the point. I went into this movie blind and I’m glad I did because every twist and turn left me gasping for breath. Based on my limited knowledge, I expected it to be some kind of religious political thriller.

And while that was somewhat true, the film is refreshingly dotted with humor that could have ruined the seriousness of the situation at hand and instead makes these sinister, serious, and devout Catholic figures feel like real, complicated humans, which only adds to the nuance of the film.

What is the ‘Conclave’ about?

Based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Robert Harris, “Conclave” follows Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who is tasked with leading the election of a new pope following the death of the previous one.

While Cardinal Lawrence is in the midst of this important election, he begins to uncover damning secrets about the late Pope and his fellow cardinals that cause him to question his faith, morals, and even the Church itself.

The best part of this film is the unexpected twists. The second you think you have it all figured out, Berger has a way of pulling the rug out from under you, over and over again.

The 120-minute film flies by as you constantly watch the ping-pong effect of rooting for a cardinal to become pope, and then finding yourself rooting against him as more information comes to light.

Director Edward Berger Makes the Sacred Look Like Average Joe

When we think of the Pope, we think of the holiest man who ever lived on earth, and surely that means that the men around him are held to this holiest of standards.

What Berger manages to do is deftly convince the audience that these cardinals are more human than saints, creating striking images of holy figures dressed in robes, chain-smoking cigarettes, scrolling on their smartphones, and becoming morally confused.

Cardinals are a mix of progressives and traditionalists, with some, like Cardinal Lawrence, in a constant battle with themselves to move morally with the times and create a new way of life within the Church, while remaining faithful to the vision of God.

It’s no surprise that Fiennes carries most of this film on his shoulders as he plays the central character. Something that never gets old is how incredible Fiennes is at demonstrating a range of emotions in a way that is subtle and realistic, yet deeply impactful.

And he wasn’t the only one. Tucci gives an impressive performance as Cardinal Bellini, one of the choices for the new pope, whose heart goes out to those who are not normally accepted by the Church.

“God’s gift to the church is variety” is the perfect phrase to summarize the overall message of the “Conclave”. While one side struggles to keep things firmly planted in tradition, the other believes that God wants the church to change along with the world, and Berger, along with the performances, never lets the film feel like a sermon.

The only mistake this film makes is placing less focus on the procedure involved in choosing a new pope. While it is played on and used to move the plot forward, as someone who knew nothing about how this process works, I would have loved to see the nitty-gritty details of how a new pope emerges.

Leaving aside the lack of detail about how a conclave works, Berger and Fiennes manage to make a religious film feel authentic, not preachy, and left me feeling that maybe there is hope in religion after all.

‘Conclave’ 4.5 stars

Director: Eduardo Berger.

Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati, Sergio Castellitto.

Assessment: PG for thematic material and smoking.

How to watch: In theaters Friday, October 25th.

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Meredith G. White covers entertainment, arts and culture for the Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. She writes the latest news about video games, television, and the best things to do in metro Phoenix.

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