Intentional Parallels? ("Conclave" Movie Review)

"Conclave" is a mystery thriller based on the 2016 Robert Harris book of the same name. Starring Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, and Isabella Rossellini, the film focuses on the most powerful group of the Catholic Church cardinals as they mourn their recently deceased pope and prepare to vote for a new one. As they continue to vote and debate the merits of the nominees, many twists and turns present bumps in the road. And that last twist...well, it's a doozy.

Being a registered independent, this film firmly leans in the progressive side of things, though corruption seeps into all sides. It is a fight for those in the middle to choose which way the church will continue into the future. Whether it should go back to reading Latin and become so conservative that they choose not to accept other religions or liberal points of view, or whether to continue to go in a more progressive way and deal with the world as it changes.

As I watched this film I couldn't help but see parallels with what's going on in the American elections going on. And when I say this film leans more on the progressive/liberal side, it does paint the conservative views and backwards and even wrong. If you are a Republican/conservative American or a conservative Catholic this film will definitely rub you the wrong way. And if you can even make it through most of the film the ending should just about turn you off altogether. 

It's the age old fight of tradition versus the future. Ultimately the future can't be stopped, but traditions can be upheld. Some traditions, however, should be left in the dustbin of history. But those are not everyone's views.

Ultimately, this film was very well acted and directed. Edward Berger expertly directs the film, getting beautiful shots of the Vatican. And I think it's safe to say that at this point Fiennes and crew are such respected actors that you would expect nothing less than top tier performances. And that's what you get. It certainly was a fine production, and was never boring. Which is something, being that most of it takes place with sequestered cardinals voting numerous times.

My recommendation is that if you lean on the conservative side of things, I would just skip it. How things unfold will probably just make your blood boil. The liberal lean is kind of heavy handed. Progressives may enjoy it, though most are probably uninterested in religion in general. For those wanting a pulp novel page turner in film form, this is the movie for you. It's got the twists and turns you would want in a popular novel. Whether this film was an intentional mirror of things to come? Who knows. That's how it works sometimes...

"CONCLAVE" By Robert Harris