A beautifully shot peek into a world usually intentionally shrouded in mystery.
SPOILERS
Runtime: 2 hrs
Certification: 12
Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Pop quiz time! What does Conclave tell us the Catholic Church loves? Is it (a) gossip, (b) a well-timed vape hit, (c) hypocrisy, or (d) all of the above? This is a gripping religious-cum-political drama that turns the election of a new Pope into a high-stakes chess match where one player always seems to be a step ahead.
Conclave starts with the death of the current Pope, signalling the start of the papal conclave election process amongst the Cardinals from across the world. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is the dean who must oversee this conclave process. That completely plays down the role he has in Conclave, however. He is, for all intents and purposes, the Vatican’s ultimate project manager.
Fiennes plays this role well. There is a quiet and measured nature that Fiennes has become known for, and it is well suited in this drama where his character must maintain some objectivity and order. There are moments where more is said in his silence than in his words, and frankly his forehead wrinkles should have their own credit in this movie.
Sharing the screen with acting titans like Stanley Tucci (Cardinal Bellini), John Lithgow (Cardinal Tremblay), and Isabella Rossellini (Sister Agnes), Fiennes continues to command the room with effortless gravitas. Each exchange is sharp yet natural, laced with the kind of unspoken history that makes every glance feel loaded. This lets you sink into Conclave’s world where every symmetrical frame and dramatic beam of light isn’t just an aesthetic, but a reflection of the power plays unfolding in the shadows.
In fact, my favourite thing about Conclave was the intentional use of lighting. Berger masterfully contrasts what (literally) happens in the shadows versus what’s presented in the light. Behind closed doors, immoralities are investigated, alliances forged and schemes plotted. Yet in the grand, sunlit halls, there’s talk of morality, duty, and righteousness. This contrast is played beautifully throughout Conclave. In fact, the whole movie is full of contrasts: Cardinal vs Cardinal, conservatism vs liberalism, Catholicism vs Islam. It is a thread which continues throughout the story in the fore- and background, only presenting itself when it must, but continuing to puppeteer each decision.
The final revelation of Conclave, Benitez’s secret, is not framed as a scandal, but as something deeper – a fundamental challenge to Lawrence’s personal views. This twist subtly takes us back to Lawrence’s sermon on “certainty,” and how it is to be feared. Despite all his careful manoeuvring to control the process and engineer the right outcome, he could never be truly certain, even though he thought he was. Again, the shadows held what the light could not – the truth stays trapped behind closed doors and drowned out by the cheers. A high-stakes thriller disguised as a religious drama, Conclave proves that, sometimes, the biggest battles need a locked room, a handful of powerful men, and a well-placed whisper.
Rushes. 
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