"Conclave" (2024) on Peacock
Ralph Fiennes plays British Cardinal Lawrence, the Vatican's dean of cardinals, charged with managing the election of a new pope after the unexpected death of a beloved one. As the sequestered clerics prepare to choose among a field of their brothers, mysteries swirl around them, including the appearance of a secretely elevated cardinal, the possibility that another was secretly fired, and that a third is harboring a scandalous past. Less mysterious is the struggle between liberals and traditionalists fighting for control of the ancient but beleagured church. Can Lawrence assure that the final vote will truly reflect the will of God? Is that even what everybody wants?
Fiennes gives a brilliantly subtle performance as a prince of the church who nonetheless struggles with doubt in a story that plays like a mystery thriller yet offers much to ponder about the role of the scandal-ridden church in a world that has become increasingly at odds with its moral authority. Set entirely within the Vatican, the cinematography makes dramatic use of a limited palette of grey, black, cream and scarlet, emphasizing the dialogue over the visuals, yet still breathtaking at times. This is a movie to watch if you love good filmmaking and good acting, especially so if you wonder what the hell is going on with the Roman Catholic church these days. I personally found the ending very satisfying, reminding me of Aristotle's dictum that endings should be surprising yet inevitable.
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