Reviews

A drama set in The Vatican sounds quite stuffy on paper but Conclave is remarkably anything but dull.

This drama, directed by Edward Berger, is set following the death of The Pope. The Cardinals convene in Vatican City to decide who should become the new head of the Catholic Church.

As Dean of the College of Cardinals, Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is in charge of the election process. He is sequestered away with his fellow cardinals for as long as it takes for one candidate to secure a majority vote. In between rounds of ballots, Lawrence discovers secrets about certain hopefuls that may ruin their chances at the papacy.

In a different set of hands, Conclave could have been a dry drama about a meeting of cardinals, but with Berger’s assured direction and Peter Straughan’s well-written screenplay, it is a gripping and compelling film throughout. The story takes many twists and turns and you will never be able to guess where it’s going.

It may surprise you to learn that Conclave is actually quite funny. It’s no comedy but it has a dark sense of humour and several laugh-out-loud moments. It is also rather amusing seeing cardinals partake in modern behaviours like vaping and scrolling through a phone.

The ever-reliable Fiennes is terrific as Lawrence, a man who keeps his cards close to his chest. What does he really want? Why is he digging up dirt on his fellow cardinals? It’s very hard to know what he’s up to, right up until the very end.

He’s supported by Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, Lucian Msamati and Carlos Diehz as potential candidates and Isabella Rossellini in a small but memorable role as Sister Agnes, the cardinals’ head caterer and housekeeper.

Don’t let the premise put you off. Conclave is a riveting thriller that’s basically like Succession set in the Vatican.

In cinemas from Friday 29th November.

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