The Paw Print

By Kieran Blake, Editor-in-Chief

3.5/4 Stars

I first saw Edward Berger’s Oscar-winning film “Conclave” the weekend it opened in theaters, and I was hooked from the very beginning. Walking out of the theater, I remember thinking that it was a pretty good movie, though I did have some qualms with the ending’s idealism. Following Pope Francis’s death on April 21, 2025, I rewatched “Conclave” on the eve of the actual papal conclave, and I was even more so impressed than I was when I first watched it.

Released on Oct. 25, 2024, “Conclave” is adapted from Robert Harris’s bestselling 2016 novel of the same name. The film, directed by Berger and written by Peter Straughan, is a thriller set during a fictional papal conclave to elect the successor to the recently-deceased pope. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Ralph Fiennes, Best Supporting Actress for Isabella Rossellini and Best Adapted Screenplay for Straughan (which it won).

“Conclave” features an ensemble cast headed by Fiennes, who is brilliant as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, who is in charge of managing the conclave and ensuring that all goes well. Throughout the film, Lawrence investigates the other cardinals in an effort to ensure that the next pope is one of integrity, all while trying to keep at bay his fellow liberals and maintaining unity among the divided cardinals. Lawrence, the film’s protagonist, consistently denies that he has any intention to be pope throughout the film, much to the chagrin of some of his fellow cardinals.

Fiennes is joined on screen by the phenomenal Stanley Tucci, who plays Cardinal Aldo Bellini, the liberals’ papal hopeful, as well as the always-slimy John Lithgow, who gives a solid performance as the more moderate Cardinal Joseph Tremblay. The two prominent conservative cardinals vying for the papacy, Cardinal Joshua Adeyemi and Cardinal Goffredo Tedesco, are portrayed effectively by Lucian Msmati and Segio Castellitto, respectively. Isabella Rossellini gives a restrained but convincing performance as Sister Agnes, one of the nuns helping manage the conclave, and Carlos Diehz does exceptional work as Cardinal Vincent Benitez, a conscientious cardinal from war-torn Kabul whose existence was made clear to the rest of the conclave mere hours before the election began.

The film itself is also very well-made technically speaking—the editing is fantastic, the score is essential to drawing the viewer in and the cinematography is solid as well. The costumes, production, lighting and sound are also outstanding. Berger’s directing is beautiful, and he was, in my opinion, one of the foremost snubs on Oscar nominations morning in the Best Director category. Straughan’s screenplay shines throughout the film, especially during a few specific scenes, and the pacing of the film adds significantly to the intensity of its atmosphere.

As for the ending, upon my rewatch, I found myself much more satisfied than I originally was. While still somewhat idealistic, the ending effectively communicates one of the film’s central messages, and ultimately, it fits the film well.

While it by no means has a flawless plot, “Conclave” is still both entertaining and highly philosophical, forcing the audience, especially those such as myself who are members of the Catholic faith, to reflect upon and call into question some of not only the Church’s teachings but also life’s great mysteries.

There are quite a few scenes during the movie that truly captivate the viewer. My personal favorite comes toward the end of the movie when all of the cardinals are discussing some of the film’s recent events and Cardinal Benitez asks Cardinal Tedesco, “With respect… what do you know about war?” The exchange of dialogue in the hallway between Cardinal Lawrence and Cardinal Bellini has also stuck with me. During the exchange, Lawrence tells a frustrated Bellini, “This is a conclave, Aldo. It’s not a war.” Aldo, angry, interjects: “It is a war!”

The most important line from the film, however, has to come during Lawrence’s opening homily, when he warns his fellow cardinals that “certainty is the great enemy of unity.” This line especially feels relevant in today’s society, as both America and the world are divided. Society as it stands is highly polarized, with many firmly grounded in their beliefs, unwilling to compromise or admit they are wrong. This widespread certainty across the world has led many of opposing views to drift further apart, threatening the overall unity of society and making Lawrence’s words ring true today more than ever.