Conclave – Drama within Religious Tradition

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Conclave Review

Within every religion seems to be some sort of mystery, or tradition that seems mysterious to outsiders and even some of the members of that faith. And in the new Focus Features film, Conclave, audiences will go behind the closed doors of one of these traditions.

Following the death of the current Pope his closest friend and Dean is tasked with running the Conclave to select the next Pope for the Catholic church. Dean Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) prepares the Vatican for the arrival of all of the other Cardinals for the selection and voting process. Working with other like-minded church leaders to sway the votes towards the candidate that will take the Church in the direction that they want. But along the way scandals are revealed, plots are unearthed and it is nothing like the calm church of centuries-old traditions you would expect.

Conclave Review

While the Cardinals are sequestered and cut off from the outside world, this creates the perfect environment for drama to unfold. The world outside continues while they repeat their traditional voting procedures over and over again. Each step and every word spoken are chosen for the procedures done with intention. But it does make you wonder just how long and boring sitting through one of the voting procedures might actually be, let alone five or more.

With the men left to make decisions, the nuns are brought along only to serve them as they would be in any convent or cloister. They have no say in the future of the church, or any of the procedures. Just make sure that the tables are set properly and each Cardinal’s room is set to their liking. The patriarchal set up of the church on full display.

Drenched in opulence and surrounded by amazing architectural gems, Conclave claims to be about the mystery and traditions that happen behind the closed doors of the Catholic church during the conclave voting and selecting the next Pope. But this isn’t something we haven’t seen before. Even someone who doesn’t follow the Catholic faith has no doubt seen the conclave being depicted in other movies like Angels and Demons (2009) and The Two Popes (2019). And if not then, the procedures were depicted through the news coverage of the elections of both Pope Benedict XVI and later Pope Francis. There seems to be little mystery about the procedures that actually are involved in the conclave procedure and voting.

Conclave Review

But, instead, Conclave does show just how failable men and humans at any level are. And while the bishops and cardinals are considered wise and Holy men, they all are still human who sin. It shows just how power-hungry they can be. How despite their stations, they can manipulate those around them to hopefully get to the position within a church they want to be. And it highlights the varied beliefs within the church and the direction that is wanted for the future amongst the members.

With a somewhat shocking twist, Conclave, a movie whose main topic is about religion and their traditions seems to not be preachy at all. It doesn’t try to convert audience members but instead shows that the church in itself is a flawed and ever-changing thing. While set in modern times, the almost antiquated approach to choosing the next leader seems out of place. But the direction the church may end up going at the end is one that may make the biggest changes yet.

Conclave is in theaters everywhere on October 25th.

Overall Rating

Four Star Review

About Conclave

Conclave

From director Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) CONCLAVE follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting a new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gather

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