This review was originally published during the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.

All Quiet on the Western Front, Conclave has a simple premise: when the pope dies, cardinals from all over the world are sequestered as they choose the holy father’s successor.

No one really knows what goes on behind those doors, but Berger and writers Peter Staughan and Robert Harris, the latter of whom wrote the novel the film is based on, posit that these pious men are as petty as anyone. Conclave is full of backstabbing, political maneuvering, and petty squabbles as the cardinals decide which of them will become the most famous man in the world. It’s more fun than it has any right to be, a B-movie thriller with a sheen of prestige that manages to be a damn good time at the movies.

Conclave Has As Much Backstabbing & Political Maneuvering As Succession & Game Of Thrones

A Peek Behind The Curtains Of The Catholic Church Only Increases The Intrigue

Dean Lawrence, played with steely resolve by Ralph Fiennes, is overseeing this conclave, but first, the pope’s death must be handled. The body is removed from his chambers and the door is sealed. Cardinals fly in from all over the world. They reconnect, slowly beginning to weave their webs of power as they prepare to be sequestered.

There are two factions fighting for the papacy: the conservative bloc, whose main candidate is Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitt). These cardinals in the film want the church to return to traditional values (issues like gay people, women's role in the church, and the tolerance of other faiths come up).

The liberal bloc is the complete opposite and one that the now-dead pope was a part of. The candidate they are pushing is Stanley Tucci's Aldo Bellini, though he makes it clear from the beginning that he doesn't want the papacy. This is exactly why he deserves it, they argue. Other candidates include Tremblay (John Lithgow), a cardinal under fire for reasons I won't spoil here, and Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), a cardinal from Africa.

Watching actors like Lithgow, Fiennes, and Tucci chew scenery in some of the oldest buildings in the world is like a drug for anyone that loves character actors.

With the stage set and the cardinals sequestered, Conclave begins the game. Essentially, a cardinal needs a two-thirds majority vote from the group in order to ascend to the head of the church and those four candidates shore up most of the save for one surprise: a new cardinal unknown to the rest of them: Benitez from Kabul (Carlos Diehz). Somehow, in each round of voting, he manages to increase his vote count.

To spoil much of the twists and turns of Conclave here would rob part of the fun from the film. There are allegations galore, surprise guests meant to destabilize candidates, and outside forces that begin making their way inside the walls of the church as instability defines the current era of Catholicism.

Conclave Is Firing On All Cylinders

From The Score To Berger's Direction, It's An Enrapturing Experience

Berger's direction is fittingly operatic; wide shots of the cardinals in their red garb, tight close-ups in cramped hallways, and a lens that points upward to capture the grandeur of the buildings these men call their offices. In tandem with Berger's direction is Conclave's score, composed by Volker Bertelmann. It's filled with tight, quick string arrangements that evoke a horrific feeling, and alongside much of the happenings - long dark hallways, shadowy meetings, and backdoor deals - it perfectly raises the tension, doing just as much as the story and the actors.

Conclave is not trying to be some treatise on the state of the Catholic Church, nor is it saying anything new about modern religion. It's engrossing nonetheless, and it milks the titular event for every dramatic drop its worth. Watching actors like Lithgow, Fiennes, and Tucci chew scenery in some of the oldest buildings in the world is like a drug for anyone that loves character actors.

Ultimately, it's an impressive feat that Berger was able to pull Conclave off, not because he wasn't capable. All Quiet on the Western Front proved that the director knows how to stage drama. But that he made this movie fun is a testament to the power of the source material and all the creative teams behind the film who brought this chaotic, catty, and caustic conclave to the screen.

Conclave had its premiere at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival and screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film is 120 minutes long and rated PG for thematic material and smoking. It is now playing in theaters.