review: conclave

It's all Poping off: Conclave 
Review by Jeff De Rouen

“You know what’s missing from my life? A good papal thriller,” said no one ever and Hollywood, as far as I know, hasn’t scratched that nonexistent itch since Godfather III (for the record, I love Godfather III but, apparently, it’s just me and one other guy in Peoria).

The world of Vatican intrigue was indeed ripe for the pickin’ and director Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) delivers unto us the compelling, taught, and beautifully shot thriller, Conclave.

We’re thrust right into the story: the pope is dead and Cardinal Lawrence, played meticulously by “definitely will be nominated for everything this year,” Ralph Fiennes, must organize and run a conclave to choose the next pope.

From the beginning, we have games: power moves are executed, loyalties are tested, and secrets are uncovered. The movie’s pace never slows, and it’s a delight to watch some of our best actors (Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Lucian Msamati – in a stunning performance – to name a few) chew the scenery and bring their A game.

That being said, the movie is VERY GOOD but misses some big opportunities. They basically waste the iconic Isabella Rossellini (her “big” scene merely repeats what we already know despite a magnificent opening line) and the big reveal at the end felt like artists trying to say something important but playing it safe so that it’s more palatable, completely diluting the message. In my opinion, they should have really gone for it.

You’ll know what I’m talking about when you see it and you absolutely should see it ON THE BIG SCREEN. Berger’s film expertly uses space and color as the foundational canvas for the actors and one shot in particular, a sudden occurrence of violence, is breathtaking.

Conclave will not go down as one of the best films ever made, and who knows what you would actually call this genre, but it’s a perfect addition to the “let’s have a really fun time at the movies without anything like a Pixar-induced full-blown emotional catharsis” genre that pairs perfectly with popcorn.