When one hears the phrase “Catholic Church thriller,” I suspect one thinks immediately of something like a Dan Brown/Da Vinci Code-type film, with dead bodies of Cardinals appearing in fountains in Rome and potentially blasphemous revelations about Catholic Dogma. Conclave, a new film being marketed as a thriller (and adapted from Thomas Harris’ novel of the same name – a writer who also wrote “Silence of the Lambs,” one of the greatest thrillers of the 20th century, and directed by Edward Berger), doesn’t really fall into the category of a thriller in my book. However, it is a really smart, tense, and surprisingly funny film with several standout performances and some interesting commentary on the Catholic Church to boot.
With the sudden death of the current Pope – from an apparent heart attack, although we never hear precisely just what was responsible for his death and the film doesn’t seem all that concerned with the medical reasoning behind it either – a Papal Conclave is called (hence, the title of the film), wherein all the designated voting Cardinals* from around the world are called to Rome to sequester themselves and select, via a blind vote, the next Pope. The Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Lawrence (a great Ralph Fiennes, whose performance is often still, cerebral, and measured) is expected to oversee the proceedings – a complicated role to be in considering the late Pope was a close friend and there are several competing factions within the Conclave jockeying for the Papacy with varying degrees of subterfuge (or, at least, alleged subterfuge).
*For those who didn’t spend decades in Catholic schools like I did, the new Pope is chosen by Cardinals – the priests who wear the red caps – who select one of their own for the position (although, technically, any Catholic could be selected Pope). There’s a cap on how many Cardinals are allowed to participate in the Conclave and any Cardinal aged 80 or older is automatically excluded from voting. It’s a very political process and utterly fascinating to study. Which helps make this film pretty suspenseful and interesting as well.
Our main four contenders for the highest position in the Catholic Church include Cardinal Bellini (a sensational Stanley Tucci, who I think might be a dark horse come award season), a very liberal individual who was a very close confident of the late Pope; Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow, once again turning in a performance where you don’t know just how much you can trust him), a more centrist option who arrives with a solid voting bloc in his corner; Cardinal Tedesco (a vibrant Sergio Castellitto), an ultra-conservative option who desires to undo many of the late Pope’s changes and revert the Church back to a pre-Vatican II state; and Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati, who gets an absolutely lovely scene mid-film that left me staggered), a conservative option from Africa who could be the first African Pope, albeit one with some dark views on LGBT Catholics and women. The four camps seek to shore up the 2/3rds majority vote necessary for an election, whilst horse trading and campaigning – both secretly and outwardly.
We see influence grow and shrink throughout the votes and tensions rise within the camps as secrets are revealed – or stories are weaved – to discredit rivals. Just who is pulling the strings is also up for debate as the story drives forward to a really interesting conclusion (one that I’m not sure is fully earned, although I did appreciate the symbolism of it as a whole). But the central thrust of the film is the question of just how much power and influence should certain individuals hold over the proceedings. Ostensibly, the selection of the new Pope should be made by a majority of Cardinals acting out of their belief as to both the good of the Church and the will of God. Of course, as Bellini remarks in a key speech within the film, the fallibility of man himself will always cloud such high moral standards and potentially lead to results that might harm the Church rather than help her. And that harm, of course, is in the eye of the beholder, as a conservative Catholic might laud a return to the Church of old whilst a liberal one would decry it as a travesty.
It’s not easy to balance all of the elements contained within Conclave and come out with a film as strong as this one. The story neither panders to nor provides undue praise on the Catholic Church. The twists that come along, knocking potential candidates out of the running don’t feel sensationalist (which is one of the most impressive parts of the story). And the performances are grounded and the characters feel normal. No one is showboating here, no one is an out-and-out villain or saint, and there isn’t one “right” option. Yes, the ultimate choice for Pope isn’t a shock (I suspect most people will see it coming fairly early in the film), but the denouement of their selection is something that will give you pause. Even if you know nothing about the Catholic Church – or aren’t a fan of the Church and everything that has transpired within in it over the last 25 years – there’s something here to entertain and allow you some introspection. After all, I’m still thinking about the film and what it was trying to say several days after the fact, which is a heck of an endorsement in my book.
Conclave was viewed at the Chicago Film Festival. The film will be released in the United States on October 25.
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