Electing a new pope of the Catholic church is all about rituals, Conclave shows us. But, what ritual is more ancient and more sacred than the ritual of politics, where powerful players jock and muscle for the leading position? In the film, directed by Edward Berger, the process of choosing a new pontiff ebbs and flows with the internal politics of the Catholic factions. Will the conservatives take over the reins, or will the liberals prevail and move the dogma into a more inclusive and powerful chapter?
The key element of those struggles is Thomas Lawrence, played by Ralph Fiennes, who presides as the dean over the College of Cardinals. Once they agree, the election of the pope is over and the new leader of the church will take his spot at its head. To the outside world, that is the moment when the black smoke above the Sistine Chapel turns white.
However, Lawrence’s position begins to complicate as he comes into possession of new information about the wishes of his close friend, the recently deceased pope. With each voting cycle that fails to find the new head of the church, the doubts and fears of Lawrence intensify. As this happens, Finnes masterfully presents this emotional turmoil by embodying a person who otherwise seems like calmness and reason personified.
Gradually, here’s where the film makes its transition from a documentary-like feature to a political thriller. On that road, Berger avoids taking any paths that even hint at violence - despite violence occurring on a grander scale - and keeps the film about people, their ambitions, and their beliefs. This, as Conclave shows, is a much more complicated and self-examining issue than it first might appear. Through that process, the movie builds into an impressive feature about the nature of power and human needs that fuel it, even though the same tale is told through a lens of ritualistic but very brutal politics.
