Conclave -- Why I Recommend This Thriller -- My Honest Movie Review

[@WG55]

The biggest problem with the movie is that Ralph Fiennes's character doesn't follow any of the rules of a true papal conclave and continuously breaks sacred canon again and again to keep the plot moving. For example, at one point he takes a confession to gather evidence against another cardinal, then breaks the confessional seal to confront another cardinal, a truly shocking breach. Every time he commits a crime against canon and even civil law, people are shocked for about ten seconds, and then the plot moves on.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

that would be a point in favor of the anti-woke, or some kind of conservative, interpretation. it's not a flaw of the movie but a feature.

[@WG55]

@@LearningaboutMovies True, Fiennes's character is a part of the liberal faction, and he abuses his position as dean of the papal conclave and as a priest to help his faction win, becoming as grasping and unethical as Tremblay. I think I am mainly bothered by how he does this with no apparent consequence, even when he very publicly engages in criminal behavior.

[@maxdepasquale2351]

Or, perhaps, Robert Harris did not make enough homework. Still, this film is light years ahead of that rubbish Dan Brown put forward.

[@gerardacronin334]

You referred to Ralph Fiennes’ character as Cardinal Dean. “Dean” (of the College of Cardinals) was his job. His surname was Lawrence. I read the book before watching the movie. The movie is generally faithful to the book except that the nationalities of two characters has been changed. Some details have been omitted in the movie. Having had a Catholic upbringing, I found both the book and the movie very interesting, particularly as a character study. As someone else has observed, Cardinal Lawrence was bending or breaking the rules by obtaining information in Confession that he then shared, and by sharing the report. But maybe the rules need to be broken sometimes in the interest of justice. As a healthcare professional, I have encountered the “situation” revealed at the ending. It is not as unrealistic as many people think. My mind wandered to how this information would influence future events. As a woman, I found it infantilizing that Cardinal Lawrence addressed Sister Shanumi as “my child”. Further evidence of the second class status of women in the Catholic Church came during the strategic discussion in the darkened auditorium, when someone said to Cardinal Bellini “don’t mention the women”. It all just reminds me why, in early adulthood, I forewent allegiance to an organization in which I was automatically disqualified for the C-suite.

[@thedudewhoeatspianos]

The Conclave is a perfect setting for a thriller - opaque, ancient, and a place where spiritual concerns meet material realpolitik. Excited to see this one!

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you. Feel free to let us know what you think, good or not good.

[@drdavid1963]

I agree it is thoughtful (mainly due to the ending) and also to the great philosophical speech Fiennes makes as Dean where he talks about the necessity for doubt and to be suspicious of certainty. However, we have to wait till minute 37 for that to occur. Afterwards, it slowly develops its political thriller credentials. But I could have done without the first 30 minutes. Then, it could have been much more focussed on the thoughtful ideas you mention and less of the ponderous formality that may be authentic as a depiction of life in the Sistine Chapel but dull to the rest of us.

[@FTA4evr]

I read and enjoyed the Robert Harris book on which the movie is based. I was looking forward to seeing the movie and after watching your review I'm even more anxious to see it.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you

[@coletrain1287]

Hoping it picks up more buzz. Definitely one of the more underrated films to have been released this year.

[@Midwest-e3i]

Have you seen Heretic? I'd be curious to hear your thoughts.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

no, but I'll be going in the next three days, and probably will make a review video.

[@robertgallagher5285]

Alot of mediocre movies coming out Heretic one of them but the acting (especially Hugh Grant) well worth going to if you walk out towards the end you miss the bloody parts!!!

[@GregoryArkadin-j5v]

I'll make sure to see anything with Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini!

[@robertgallagher5285]

Alot of average movies coming out (except Anora which is unbelievably great) but great acting will lift the movie up!!!

[@waynemcauliffe-fv5yf]

Wish they`d do one on Islam like this. Maybe too scared

[@DivyanshShukla-cb3dw]

Didn't want their heads off. It's quite fascinating that followers of one religion has same doctrine all over the world and people around them have same opinion of them

[@waynemcauliffe-fv5yf]

@@DivyanshShukla-cb3dw That`s it mate

[@Tyler_W]

That would actually take balls.

[@RagingHamster8330]

Brilliant movie!!

[@footballfanatic-m7f]

I watched this movie today. Not even being a Catholic by faith, this movie is a blatant misrepresentation of the prestigious Pope Election Ceremony. No doubt the movie is excellently made, with amazing acting skills by some really good actors, but the message which this movie portrays, is it really necessary?

[@LearningaboutMovies]

The message is?

[@3MPIREOFDEATH]

This is like baby’s first thriller. No twists, no turns, very Disney in the way they broadcast who the good guys are and who the bad guys are right from the start. Very convenient albeit improbable plot devices to keep the movie going. Calling this a thriller is like calling mayo spicy. Should have known from the PG rating. :/

[@LearningaboutMovies]

a misleading comment, because nobody could see the twist in the end coming. absolutely nobody. also, this movie is too complicated for this point of view. there are no "good guys", including the elected pope at the end. conservative interpretations of this movie would be ridiculously spicy and provocative. of course the movie is PG. You think a bunch of cardinals electing a pope are going to be involved in sex, violence, and four-letter words?

[@3MPIREOFDEATH]

@@LearningaboutMovies SPOILERS: When Benitez is shoehorned into the movie and gets more than one vote at the initial round of voting, I turned to my wife and said "he's going to be the new pope, no other reason for him to be there and receive votes". Sure nobody is going to guess the intersex thing, but that isn't much of a twist because it's kept a secret anyway. What's less believable is that a majority of the conclave is going to forego their loyalties and beliefs and vote for a complete stranger because of one overly simplistic and idealistic speech. It's very clear who the good guys are and who the bad guys are very early on. Bellini has some slight depth and walks the line a bit, but other than that it's very obvious which camp every character is in and who you should be rooting for. This movie was just way too telegraphed and basic to be considered a good thriller. It was definitely more of an afterschool special. Yeah, you're right, I've never heard of the Catholic church being involved in any kind of sex scandals lols.

[@THATGUY-v9c]

Did anyone else feel like this movie was an attack on faith? It's woke to it's core.

[@wordscapes5690]

Not at all, but I am glad it did what it was meant to do… make people with secret prejudices howl “woke!”

[@MrCREWCRUSHIN95]

The third act Woke turn is a deal breaker.

[@thedudewhoeatspianos]

Must be hard to through life getting upset all the time

[@LearningaboutMovies]

You can interpret it exactly the opposite way, and it works. The exact opposite interpretation is possible -- the liberals take over and keep dark secrets that would rock the Church to its core. The movie lets both exist together, right there -- and so it's a litmus test.

[@nickbarcheck1019]

@@thedudewhoeatspianos Must be hard being a woke liberal.

[@thedudewhoeatspianos]

@@nickbarcheck1019 I wouldn't know, you'd have to ask one. I'm trying to enjoy films, not get worked up over seeing something that challenges my worldview.

[@davidfernandes9413]

@@nickbarcheck1019 Nah, it's actually feeing to be able to think about media in challenging ways without resorting to surface-level black-and-white interpretation that boil down to "this made me uncomfortable"