Conclave (2024)

My Review

“Conclave” is a mystery thriller film about the death of the Pope and the College of Cardinals gathering in seclusion in the Vatican to replace him. The Cardinals are surprised to meet a new Archbishop of Kabul, secretly installed by the late Pope, with subsequent revelations containing the potential to cause trouble for the Catholic Church. Director Edward Berger (“All Quiet on the Western Front” 2022) assembled a film with good production values, professional performances, and suspense from a screenplay by Peter Straughan, based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Robert Harris.

The cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini, Brain F. O’Byrne, Sergio Castellitto, Jacek Koman, and Lucian Msamati. “Conclave” was popular at the box office for FilmNation Enterprise, Indian Paintbrush, House Productions, Black Bear UK, and Focus Features. It was nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning one for Best Adapted Screenplay. The non-winners include Best Picture, Best Actor (Fiennes), Best Supporting Actress (Rossellini), Best Original Score (Volker Bertelmann), Best Editing, Best Production Design, and Best Costume Design. It was filmed on location in Rome, Italy, including at Cinecitta Studios.