Conclave

A different kind of scandal is brewing within the Catholic church in Conclave, one in which the secretive nature adds to the suspenseful allure.

The stylish and sophisticated film chronicles the titular process to select a new pope inside the Vatican’s clandestine stone walls. It’s highly speculative yet also rigorous in its detail, which provides a compelling backdrop for a gradual escalation into a thriller about power, morality, politics, and betrayal.

Appropriately enough, it begins with the death of a pontiff, and the subsequent gathering of dozens of grieving cardinals from around the globe to sequester themselves while electing his successor.

The conclave is led by the reluctant Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who strives to maintain neutrality and order while harboring ambitions to maintain the church’s more progressive policies. “Let us ask for a pope who doubts, who sins and asks for forgiveness, and who carries on,” he reasons.

Various candidates emerge, including Bellini (Stanley Tucci), Tremblay (John Lithgow), Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), and Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) — each with their own allegiances and past indiscretions. Then there’s mysterious newcomer Benitez (Carlos Diehz), plus a head nun (Isabella Rossellini) who knows too much.

While they try to reach consensus, Lawrence struggles to maintain order and enforce spiritual obligation as the gathering is threatened by blasphemous rumors and external unrest, not to mention his own crisis of faith.

German director Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) and his collaborators are meticulous in re-creating the ornate inner workings of the conclave, from the sets and costumes, to the methodical voting procedure, to the rigorous mandates of the sequestration.

Fiennes anchors the film with a richly textured portrayal that blends quiet contemplation and muted rage. He communicates as much through subtle glances and body language as through dialogue, reflecting a man torn between duty, legacy, and partisanship.

The multilayered screenplay by Peter Straughan (The Goldfinch), based on a Robert Harris novel, remains grounded while the ramifications of the decision escalate and the internal chaos intensifies.

It doesn’t commit either to embracing the tradition-rich sanctity of the conclave or skewering its stuffy self-importance. Ditto for the even-handed way it navigates the personalities who aren’t as virtuous and irreproachable as their positions lead you to believe.

Driven by intriguing character dynamics, the film avoids becoming didactic. Although the second-half twists strain credibility, Conclave remains gripping as a high-stakes melodrama.

Rated PG, 120 minutes.