While Edward Berger’s Conclave brings an iconic cast of beloved actors, who deliver superb performances and offers thought-provoking themes, I do not believe it should be prioritized when asked for recommendations on recently released films. It is certainly worth watching, but not as soon as possible.
So often when we think of the depiction of the Catholic Church in media, it is often portrayed as an ancient institution that most of us do not relate to. Whether it is a historic film set at any point in the last two millennia, or the Church is a backdrop for sequences including a ritual (perhaps the baptism scene in The Godfather), or perhaps culture wars are at the heart of the matter, the Church appears to be irrelevant to the viewer.
Or, if the character is along the lines of Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II, Mother Cabrini, or St. Francis of Assisi, we consider them to be heroes that have achieved a transcendent level of humanity that none of us could imitate. But Conclave reminds us, whether we are practicing Catholics or not, the Church is a human institution, dealing with familiar human matters that any of us will recognize.
One line perfectly encapsulates these themes, which are interwoven throughout the entire film: “We are mortal men. We serve an ideal. We cannot always be ideal.”
Ralph Fiennes leads the star-studded cast (which also includes John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, Lucian Msamati, and Isabella Rossellini) as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, Dean of the College of Cardinals, tasked with overseeing the papal conclave after the sudden death of the pope. We witness an ancient tradition taking place in buildings constructed during the Renaissance era but accompanied by contemporary technology (which I considered to be an incredible juxtaposition).
Here we witness the politics within the Church as groups with differing interpretations of pastoral care vie for positions of power, and we see the ugliness that leaders stoop to in order to achieve their goals, despite their positions as spiritual leaders. Lawrence perfectly encapsulates a hero we can relate to. He is a protagonist handed an important task that deals with the one thing he does not want: power.
He reminds me of Pope Benedict XVI, who also held Lawrence’s position when he was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, and submitted several letters of resignation from 1981 until he was tasked with overseeing the 2005 conclave. Hoping the new Pope would grant his request to return to Germany for academic purposes, he was ironically chosen to lead.
I anticipated the film to move in this historic direction but was surprised by the film’s choice for a twist ending. Without revealing any spoilers, it bore relevance to the theme of wrestling with uncertainty, but I cannot help but wonder if there were better options to pursue.
Uncertainty is the overall theme. As we stress over the uncertainty of the future—especially regarding secular matters—the film reminds us that uncertainty is even experienced in an institution that is founded on the hope of the resurrection of the historical Jesus and has spent 2000 years professing dogmas to better understand salvation. Even the most learned scholars and leaders struggle to understand what specifically should be done in this current chapter of history.
The viewer must contemplate the overall history of the Church as the cardinals squabble about who should take the seat of the successor to St. Peter the Apostle. As the protagonists fret that rigidly dogmatic clerics may end up in charge, they console themselves that, despite the possibility of leadership implementing harmful pastoral care, there have been worse Popes in the past (think of the Borgia Popes during the Renaissance, when the Church was run by the Mafia).
While Conclave certainly had my interest and I consider it a decent movie worth watching, I do not consider it necessary to watch as soon as possible. Perhaps it will be a movie for a rainy day in the future, but it is not a movie that requires a trip to the theater, especially during awards season.
About the Author: Having lived in Old Lyme and Lyme since the age of three, Kevin has always had a passion for movies that is beyond simply watching, but understanding the craft of cinema and and experiencing films as if they were a musical album. Kevin also has his own website devoted to movie analysis, CityOfCinema.com, and also co-hosts a podcast, Moviehouse Mystics, with Koda Uhl (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube).
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