“Our faith is a living thing precisely because it walks hand-in-hand with doubt. If there was only certainty and no doubt, there would be no mystery, and therefore no need for faith. Let us pray that God will grant us a Pope who doubts. And let him grant us a Pope who sins and asks for forgiveness and who carries on.”
As awards season has come around this year, I found myself watching several films involving the Catholic Church, from Russell Crowe’s The Exorcism to Sydney Sweeney’s Immaculate, and finally Cabrini. And now Conclave. I was surprised to find that all four films were relatively respectful, even as they might be pointing out the flaws of the ancient church. All four films were replete with wonderful performances that carried the emotional beats of the stories. At the top of my list from those films is Cabrini, with Conclave coming in a close second. Both received attention in my end-of-year voting opportunities. I’ve already told you about The Exorcism and Cabrini. Brent Lorenson gave us his view of Immaculate, and now I’ll finish off the Holy Four with my take on Conclave.
“The church is not the past. It is what we do next.”
The position of the Pope, or Holy Father, is much like the United States’ presidency used to be. It was once bad taste to publicly admit that you wanted the position. The idea is that the perfect candidate is the one who wants it least. It alludes to a more humble approach and less ambition that could lead to abuses of these great powers. That has changed for American politics, but not in the selection of a new Pope. Conclave gives us an inside look into one of the most secretive processes on the planet. The Conclave is wrapped in mystery and ritual, and the participants are sequestered until they have found a new Pope. Add to what is already a very mysterious process with political intrigue and betrayal, and you have the setting for a very special movie. Edward Berger delivered that special movie.
The film takes place in an unnamed but pretty much current-day setting. The Pope is dead. The rituals and decisions that surround that death are being cared for here by three very powerful cardinals. Ralph Fiennes plays Cardinal Lawrence, and he is the dean of the College of Cardinals. John Lithgow plays Cardinal Tremblay.He was the last person to meet with the Pope, and there is a certain amount of mystery surrounding that meeting. Stanely Tucci is Cardinal Bellini, who was the Pope’s best friend and confidant. They played chess often, and the Pope spoke freely to Bellini, and the odds-on favorite to become the next Pope is Bellini. He doesn’t want the job, but there is a group of cardinals who are determined to stop the next likely victor. That man is Cardinal Detesco, played by Sergio Castellitto. As if these for men aren’t enough to create the suspense and tension, there is a newcomer. Cardinal Benitez, played by Carlos Diehz. His name isn’t on the list, but he has the papers to prove that the deceased Pope made him a cardinal in a secret tradition that was supposed to be revealed at a later time. Now the Pope is dead, and that later time might very well be now. There are unhappy participants, but Benitez is allowed to participate in the Conclave. And now the rooms are sealed. There is to be no contact with the outside world, but Lawrence really needs answers and tries to verify some damning information on Tremblay, who is starting to rise in the ballots with each round.
“Although we sisters are supposed to be invisible, God has nevertheless given us eyes and ears.”
Along for the ride and delivering a stunning performance is Isabella Rossellini as Sister Agnes. She is the head of the order that takes care of the needs of the conclave members from food to housekeeping. As the various mysteries evolve, accusations begin to fly, and it seems that Tremblay’s meeting might have had serious consequences if not for the silence of a dead Pope. Lawrence considers it his duty to “bend” the rules and solve this mystery, all the while fighting for his friend Bellini to become the next Pope. But Sister Agnes has the most important insight of them all. She is supposed to be invisible, but her wisdom holds a key to the answers. Being invisible means you see and hear things that others are not privy to.
The film takes advantage of incredible performances, and in very subtle ways. It’s absolutely amazing how well director Berger can make suspense out of a guy thinking about the name he’s going to write on a slip of paper. I don’t think there are a lot of people that can pull this off. Berger is able to take us inside the thoughts of these characters, because he went with actors that can do that so naturally. The locations are limited, but no detail was spared. You will believe you are in the Vatican even in the close quarters of the conclave’s sequestered rooms. The end is quite predictable. That’s not where the twist comes. The twist comes in a reveal there is no way to see coming. Many will find it woke or disrespectful. The last guy on the planet to appreciate woke is the man writing this review. When will filmmakers understand it’s not the controversial stories we object to? I hate the recent trend of hitting me on the head with it all because you think I’m obviously not as smart as these Hollywood elites. They think we’re too stupid to get a message unless we are bludgeoned with it. This film proves how to approach those issues and give us credit to know where you’re going. It’s controversial but not offensive. Offended? “Oh, don’t be so naïve.”
