Movies
Ralph Fiennes And Edward Berger Show Off In “Conclave”
Conclave is one of the best movies released in the calendar year 2024. It holds the audience’s attention with a blend of pristine craftsmanship and character entertainment.
“When Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with leading one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, he finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could shake the very foundation of the Catholic Church.”
Director: Edward Berger
Writers: Peter Straughan, Robert Harris
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Jacek Koman, Lucian Msamati, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Carlos Diehz
Release Date: October 25, 2024
IMDB
Conclave (2024) is a tense story about ambition and secrets set in one of the world’s most mysterious yet powerful environments. Based on Robert Harris’s 2016 novel, Conclave revolves around Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who is tasked with leading the hushed, traditions-based process of electing a new pope.
Soon, the walls of the Sistine Chapel will be populated with Cardinals from all over the world who will be casting their ballots to elect “the most famous man in the world.” The straightforward process is anything but linear. Despite being men of faith, many have ambitions to be popes. Rivalries pop up, and different ideologies of conservatism and liberalism do battle with one another. This is the land-mind-filled terrain that Cardinal Lawrence must navigate.
Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence has the leading role and therefore appears on screen for no less than 95% of the movie’s entirety. It is a lot of pressure to carry a story that walks a fine tightrope of entertaining untrustworthiness, but thankfully, Fiennes is one of the best actors in the world. The two-time Oscar nominee (The English Patient (1997) & Schindler’s List (1994)) bears the weight of responsibility well and properly shows the stress marks of his job as the conclave overseer.
The screenplay, adapted for the screen by one-time Osacar nominee Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), demands a lot from Fiennes and the audience. To enjoy Conclave fully, one has to pay attention to all the little details and all the back alley conversations. This is what made Conclave such a great movie theater experience. It forces you away from all of the distractions and instead makes sure you giggle when Cardinals start vaping.
Edward Berger, after being nominated for Best Director for All Quiet On The Western Front (2022), takes a different tact with Conclave. In a credit to how well All Quiet On The Western Front is made, one could take out all the dialogue from the movie and understand that story exactly for what it is. There is a reason that it won four Academy Awards. However, Conclave is 100% the opposite because one needs verbal sparring to follow along with the action. The two films’ emphasis on the screenplay and character interaction are very different, yet both are done expertly well.
One of the best aspects of Conclave is its musical score and sound editing. Berger once teamed up with Volker Bertelmann after working together on All Quiet On The Western Front, for which Bertelmann won an Academy Award. The musical undertone of Conclave has a twinge of mystery to it and plays heavy on the string instruments once again. It contributes significantly to the isolationism present throughout the film. Credit to both Berger and Bertelmann for knowing when not to include music; often, in Conclave, moments of silence emphasize the small noises. It is only sometimes the full-fledge orchestra that generates the most effect.
Conclave is one of the best movies released in the calendar year 2024. It holds the audience’s attention with a blend of pristine craftsmanship and character entertainment. Conclave relies heavily on its talented cast to pull off a dialogue-heavy script, and the assembly of talent more than rises up to the challenge. Conclave is worth watching and worthy of award consideration when it comes time for Oscar nominations.
STANKO RATING: A-
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