Conclave: Acting Shines, but Plot Leaves Viewers Lost
Best Picture nominee Conclave follows a Catholic cardinal as he leads the conclave in choosing a new pope. In doing so, Cardinal Lawrence, played by Ralph Fiennes, discovers secrets that could shake the foundations of the catholic church.
While this is a very good film that closely depicts the process of choosing a new Pope, parts of it can be confusing, and I find myself getting lost.
The acting in this film is beyond amazing. Fiennes, who plays the British cardinal, excels, just like he does in every film, earning another Best Actor nomination at this year’s Oscars. His supporting cast, which includes Stanley Tucci as American Cardinal Bellini and John Lithgow as Canadian Cardinal Joseph, elevate this film to another level. One thing that works in the favor of this film is that since the Pope and cardinals can be from any country, the actors get to play someone from the country they are from, so the accents from Tucci or Lithgow, who are the two best supporting cast members, remain authentic,
The plot can get confusing at some points. It keeps throwing new secrets at the main character, one right after the other. Also, the way these secrets get out goes against the main character’s personality. Fiennes’ character is what is known as the Dean of the College of Cardinals. Throughout the movie, he would get information from another member of the church, despite him insisting cardinals are not allowed to have any information that will sway their votes. He also goes against that rule multiple times to get secrets out.
The film makes it easy to understand the process of electing a new Pope and seeks to recreate how the Catholic Church acts during this process. The accuracy of its depictions, however, have faced criticism.
One of the biggest faults with this film is that there is an entire subplot happening outside the church but affects what happens in the selection of the Pope. This subplot, however, never gets resolved in any meaningful way despite is massive impact, and it is hardly explained. It makes the whole thing just feel senseless.
This movie is 2 hours in length, and I wish that it was 30 minutes longer. That would allow some scenes to stretch and make the film less confusing. The film uses one piece of music repeatedly, but it is good and not overused to the point where it gets annoying. Scenes are shot beautifully, and the sound editing is good.
Overall, Conclave is a great film and is one of the better films that came out in 2024, which explains its eight Oscar nominations. But even the acting, sound design, and cinematography can’t help its confusing plot and pointless subplot. I give this film a 7.5 out of 10.