Oscars buzz for "Conclave": A gripping Vatican thriller
The pope dies, and the conclave gathers. The stakes couldn't be higher for the Catholic Church. The story begins as a complex game of appearances, factions, arguments, and machinations, much like a thrilling chess match. The new thriller, based on a bestselling novel, is earning rave reviews from critics, and there’s already talk of Oscars.
11:47 AM EDT, October 16, 2024
"Conclave" is a political thriller set in the Vatican. After the pope's death, cardinals from around the globe gather to choose the next pontiff. In theory, they should be guided by the Holy Spirit, but reality reveals games and intrigues, dirty secrets, and strategic eliminations. Two main factions develop: the conservative and the progressive, each backing their own candidate. The results of the first voting round offer no illusions—this conclave will not be swift.
"Conclave" is a film adaptation of the bestselling novel by Robert Harris, whose works have previously inspired films like "The Ghost Writer" and "Enigma." Directed by Edward Berger, a two-time Oscar nominee who won for "All Quiet on the Western Front" in 2022, the screenplay is by Peter Straughan ("Frank," "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" with Gary Oldman). The film features an outstanding cast: cardinals are portrayed by Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, and John Lithgow. Isabella Rossellini plays a nun caring for the house where the cardinals stay during the conclave.
"Conclave": reviewers are impressed
The film has already been screened for select journalists and film critics, who unanimously declare "Conclave" a triumph. There's a buzz about another nomination for Berger, but especially about a possible Oscar for Ralph Fiennes, who plays a cardinal in a crisis of faith. Vanity Fair calls "Conclave" a "compelling papal thriller." The Guardian describes it as a "juicy adaptation." Vulture reviews it: "Amid such stately ceremony, Berger finds ways to insert gradually escalating tumult and cattiness." According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film shows "behind-the-scenes machinations involved in choosing a new pope after the death of the previous pontiff."
