Playing in Theaters
Stories about or related to the Catholic Church can seem like a dime a dozen, especially given its dark and questionable history (to put it mildly). In the days of The Hays Code (a set of rules that governed the film industry from the 30s to the late 60s), storytellers weren't permitted to mock religion or present priests as evil characters. In fact, many of the consultants for The Hays Code were ordained ministers. So, while I know some of my readers will take massive offense to my giving this film the time of day for a viewing and a review (you know who you are), please know that it is not, in any way, intended as an endorsement of the Church or its affiliates. This is strictly about the movie and nothing else!
Having said that, aside from a questionable technical choice with sound mixing, Conclave is a surprisingly relevant story with superb performances, timely commentary, and an important message about humanity and the need for change. Much to my delight, this film is much different than you might have expected.
The story follows Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) as he organizes and oversees the traditional election of the next Pope by all the Cardinals of the Church, known as the Conclave, wherein the Cardinals are locked away and left to deliberate and vote, requiring a 2/3 majority to secure the position. With the help and advice of his trusted friend, Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci), Lawrence will uncover strange secrets and discover unexpected revelations about himself and his duty.
The film is loaded with outstanding performances and witty writing, its strong suits. Stanley Tucci especially has the best scenes in the film. Although Ralph Fiennes delivers the best speech early in the film, I won't spoil any details here, but it can apply to about anything in the world, as it should.
Funny enough, the film's weakest point is also its loudest. The sound mixing unusually raised the volume of some scenes to obscene heights, to the point where I regretted not having earplugs with me at the time. Initially, I couldn't determine if it was some kind of artistic choice or if the sound system in the theater wasn't correctly calibrated. As the film went on, I realized that it was a deliberate artistic choice meant to emphasize the protagonist's mindset, which was utilized effectively in parts of the film but improperly balanced in others.
Aside from improperly executed sound mixing and a runtime that could have been shortened by at least twenty minutes, Conclave is a welcome story of doubt, clarity, and much-appreciated advocacy for change and openness. Much like one of my favorite movies, Keeping The Faith, this is not a story about priests but rather a tale about clashing personalities and ideologies who happen to be priests. While I recommend you check out this film, I do not recommend seeing it in theaters. Wait for it to come out on VOD, where you can include subtitles and volume control.
Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.
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