CONCLAVE (2024)

When the title card Conclave splashed across the screen, I had no idea what it meant. Though never outright defined, the gist becomes evident as a large group of Roman Catholic cardinals assemble at the Vatican after the death of the pope. It’s an election. And it’s fascinating. Lead by Cardinal Lawrence (the impenetrable Ralph Fiennes), he is the embodiment of incertitude as he oversees this holy task of choosing the best man for the job. One might wonder if a group of God boys makes for riveting cinema and I’m here to tell you it’s one of the best films of the year. Flanked by fellow candidates Trembley (John Lithgow), Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) and Bellini (Stanley Tucci), with Sister Agnes (Isabella Rossellini) in the shadows, Lawrence honours his position to conduit power to the one who’s most fitting, but how does one reconcile a craving for Sovereign power and is Lawrence alone in watching over this? 

WATCH OR NOT: WATCH

Additional musings: Fiennes is the everyman Cardinal of our prayers.