The death of a pope provides more than the ending of a man, it also marks a beginning. Soon after the pontiff is officially declared to be expired, a series of events unfold like clockwork, mixing medieval traditions with striking contemporary factors, from a need to block out the windows from paparazzi using lasers to try and tap what’s being discussed in the hallowed halls, or the impoundment of all mobile devices to make sure those cloistered are cut off from the outside world, even as their decision will surely have ramifications at a global scale.

In Edward Berger’s sumptuous film Conclave, we are able to peer inside the place where the papal transition is decided, the titular conclave, where Cardinals from around the world arrive to choose a new leader from among their own. Peter Straughn’s script, based on Robert Harris’ 2016 novel, plays out with the intensity of a political thriller. With astonishing performances from some legendary figures – Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini – you’ve got the makings of an awards magnet, and quite simply one of the best films of this year.

Watching Conclave, I found myself reminded of one of my favorite films since the turn of the century, Tomas Alfredson’s immensely engaging telling of John le Carré’s crime thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. This is another film that’s tonally perfect, with sweeping visual motifs that manage to make the claustrophobic settings feel like the center of the world at the moment we’re plunged into the spaces these protagonists inhabit. It was a wonderful surprise to find out afterwards that Straughn was a co-writer on that film. Much of his penchant for this type of complex yet engaging storytelling makes its way into Conclave’s DNA.

‘Conclave’ Is a Beautiful Portrait of a Struggle for Power
Image via Focus Features

While Tinker made epic the silenced, secret rooms within MI6’s cramped London spaces, the setting here couldn’t be more resplendent. During the voting for a new pope, the cardinals are literally locked into one of the planet’s most revered spaces, the Sistine Chapel. Freed from the flood of tourists and art restorers, the cardinals only talk amongst themselves while surrounded by artwork from the likes of Botticelli, Perugino, van den Broeck, and some guy named Michelangelo.

It’s in this eminent, ecclesiastic space, that the most human of power plays are set in motion. Fiennes plays Cardinal Lawrence, a man conflicted not about his faith but about the nature of the church itself, tasked with organizing this election. Bellini (Tucci) is a liberal, running reluctantly in order to prevent the far more conservative Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) from rolling back decades of reforms. Cardinal Adeyemi has plenty of support, but faces challenges to his ascension. Tremblay (Lithgow) is a wily political figure, and newcomer Carlos Diehz plays Cardinal Benitez, a surprise addition who is introduced to the group just prior to the proceedings.

As the priests vote, or head off to quiet corners to debate their strategies, an army of nuns are there acting in silent servility, serving food and acting as mute witnesses to some of the more casual discussions. In charge is Sister Agnes (Rossellinni), whose adoration for the departed pope makes her more wary about certain machinations that she’s able to witness.

Power Corrupts In ‘Conclave’
Image via Focus Features

As Plato records Socrates arguing in The Republic, Book 7, “the truth is that the State in which the rulers are most reluctant to govern is always the best and most quietly governed, and the State in which they are most eager, the worst.” Conclave brilliantly tears this tenant apart, showing how even those outwardly the most reluctant rule are, in ways both manifest and subtle, driven towards the secular lure of power, be they kingmaker or papal candidate. As the Cardinals commit infractions both small and major while claiming to be acting for the good of the process, these machinations grow increasingly important in determining the final outcome. We witness how seemingly any system, no matter its trappings of tradition or nobility, results in the very tease of power, which by its very nature, corrupts even those wishing to rise above the fray.

Berger’s previous film, 2022’s bold, Oscar-winning adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front, was an explosively powerful retelling of this classic tale. Yet the seemingly dull process of secretive voting machinations is made just as thrilling as field gun explosions and massive, cinematically rich battle scenes. Stéphane Fontaine, the cinematographer behind such disparate films as Pablo Larrain’s Jackie, Paul Verhoeven’s Elle, and Jacques Audiard’s A Prophet, brings all of his brilliant skill to Conclave’s narrow hallways, sun-parched courtyards, and the flourishes of colorful figures appearing bird-like in formation as they cross the spaces in the Vatican.

Berger’s latest is a blast of brilliance, with a supremely compelling story driven by some astonishing performances. Fiennes, in a career of august characters, manages to outshine many of his most formidable roles, and the rest of the ensemble provides a stark sense of realism even within the heightened circumstances. This is a nourishing film, with deep ideas nestled within a puply, thriller structure. It’s a wonderful blend that’s both highly entertaining and profoundly intelligent. Bravo to the entire group that came together for this unique of circumstances – My vote goes towards celebrating Conclave, I hope you join in on this most noble of coalitions and cast yours in the same way.

Conclave screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.