The Catholic Church is the perfect cinematic spectacle. Millenia of history, more than a whiff of scandal and home to a literal treasure trove of art and sculptures. The ceremonies and traditions – cloaked in shades of scarlet, aubergine and bright, shining gold – draw the eye to every corner of the screen.
Adapting Robert Harris’ novel of the same name, All Quiet on the Western Front director Edward Berger brings this Catholic conspiracy theory to life. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) finds himself tasked with leading the Conclave to elect a new pope. He would like to see Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci) ascend to the most powerful position in Rome, ahead of more draconian options such as Cardinals Tremblay (John Lithgow), Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) and Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati). But rumours and scandals threaten to destabilise the entire process. And who is this strange Cardinal of Kabul, who has been kept secret from his colleagues for years?
What a drama like this needs is two things – solid performances and an excellent script. Conclave will give you both in spades. Peter Straughan (who co-wrote the screenplay Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) has adapted Harris’ novel beautifully, allowing time for all the petty politics as well as the pomp and ceremony. There is plenty of unintentional humour, too, as Lawrence finds himself increasingly exasperated with the state of his religion. Fiennes delivers each word, each line, as if it laced with the weight of the world. His character is a man who is disillusioned not with God, but with the state of the Church. His weary, hang-dog expression takes in a world of personal ambition, sabotage and greed. It is evident that he is a man torn between his religious duty and his duty to uncover the truth. Berger often positions us bearing down on Lawrence, either over his shoulder or face-to-face, underlining the burden of his role as Dean.
John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto and Lucian Msamati absolutely drip with desire to become leader of the Catholic Church. As Lawrence and Bellini wearily note, they want to take a more hardline stance on matters such as the LGBTQ+ community and divorce. An alleged terror attack in the middle of Rome gives them the perfect opportunity to double down, sewing division and claiming a need for a more traditional approach. All of their performances are great, with each actor taking the time to nuance their ambitions and their corruptions. Berger also uses these characters to make neat, and perhaps quite unsubtle allusions, to the choices we face in contemporary politics. Isabella Rossellini has a small but mighty role as Sister Agnes, a nun who is keeping a close eye on proceedings. She listens at doors, she watches over the feasting Cardinals, she misses no shared glance across a room. Her performance is a testament to making the most of your screen time.
Volker Bertelmann, who gave us that rich and jarring score for All Quiet on the Western Front reunites with Berger, here, to give us another all-encompassing musical motif. It often sounds like the clanking of keys or the slamming shut of a heavy iron gate, in line with the sequestering of the Curia until a new pope is elected. He incorporates trembling violins and short, sharp bursts of the cello at moments of tension and, overall, the score seems perfectly in keeping with the opulent setting of the Conclave. The production design, too, more than meets the demands of these historical locations as we get to revel in overhead shots of cloaked Cardinals crossing Roman squares or the gleaming gold and incense of a Mass.
Berger and Straughan keep the pace thrumming nicely throughout the film, adding layer upon layer of conspiracy as each round of the Conclave progresses. You can imagine yourself being 
unable to put the book down, if you haven’t read it already. It’s a film that keeps you guessing until the end, with unexpected twists plaguing Lawrence and his conscience. Must he play detective and expose it all or should he stay silent and pray for the “least worst” outcome? It’s a film that, in lesser hands, could have been quite formulaic and moustache-twirling but, in these hands, feels much more credible and engaging.
Conclave is a traditional thriller and a film all about tradition. However, it doesn’t sink into cliches and easily-spotted red herrings. Instead, it allows its characters to breathe – and misbehave – in a way that will keep you hooked until the very last vote is declared.
Conclave is screening at the London Film Festival and is due for release in UK cinemas on 29 November.
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