Review
Conclave review – Ralph Fiennes shines in captivating papal drama
Fiennes delivers a standout performance as a cardinal besieged from all angles in Edward Berger’s sophisticated adaptation of Robert Harris’s acclaimed Vatican novel.
Edward Berger’s enthralling thriller, Conclave, offers a wealth of striking performances. It opens the Vatican’s doors to expose the rituals and cynical strategies involved in selecting a new pope, featuring what might be the most passive-aggressive curtsey ever seen on screen, executed by the perceptive Sister Agnes (Isabella Rossellini). This moment follows her impactful revelation to the gathered cardinals, laden with such sarcasm that one might expect her knees to give way.
Sergio Castellitto portrays the staunchly traditional Cardinal Tedesco, whose strategic use of his vape during tense moments communicates more fierce hostility and ambition than entire pages of dialogue could convey. The silences in the film are equally charged with tension. Brian F O’Byrne, as the unofficial Vatican informant Monsignor O’Malley, masterfully employs a series of fraught pauses, creating nerve-wracking moments as he grapples with his conscience before revealing yet another of the cardinals’ regrettable secrets.
What stands out, however, is that amidst the flamboyant performances and dramatic line deliveries, the most striking portrayal in Conclave—and indeed one of the year’s best—is also the most understated. Ralph Fiennes is extraordinary as Cardinal Lawrence, the dean of the college of cardinals, a role that places him just below the pope in the hierarchy. Following the unexpected death of the pontiff, Lawrence is burdened with the daunting task of overseeing the conclave, where all the cardinals gather to elect a new pope.
The sharp brilliance of Fiennes’s performance is enhanced by Berger’s sophisticated direction. Set in a confined space where the contentious men of the cloth are isolated from the outside world, the film's lavish design—featuring marble, frescoes, and striking cardinal red—contrasts sharply with the director’s earlier work, the award-winning German adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front (2022), which focused more on mud than on verbal conflict. However, both films showcase Berger's talent for camera placement. The symmetry used throughout Conclave powerfully reflects the oppressive nature and formality of this environment; a bird's-eye view of the cardinals in the rain, each protected by a Vatican-issued white umbrella, cleverly suggests a terrestrial assembly of angels. Yet, it is the framing of Fiennes that reveals the most: Berger often positions the camera slightly above him, accentuating the troubled lines on his face and the weight of his bowed head.
Adapted from Robert Harris’s 2016 bestseller, this film is a carefully researched exploration of the unique traditions and peculiarities of this Catholic ceremony. Its allure, however, extends beyond its specific context. Conclave tells a tale of a power struggle that, stripped of the zucchettos and robes, could easily unfold in a political election—a notion that resonates with American viewers (the film was released in the US in October). It mirrors the dynamics of corporate maneuvering, akin to an episode of Succession. Ultimately, it depicts a form of conflict that revolves around character assassinations rather than physical ones.