“Conclave” is all about hushed conversations in dark rooms.
One of the most important locations in a film that beautifully recreates echoing church halls and the dramatic, high ceilings of the Sistine Chapel is a simple auditorium; a bright light shining down on the cardinals seated there, the rest of the room draped in shadow. It’s here where a few men are trying to decide who should become the next pope.
The worry is that the brash traditionalist Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) will defeat the paragon of the more liberal faction, Bellini (Stanley Tucci). The men in this room – including Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who has been tasked with running this election – think it imperative that Bellini wins. Mostly because he doesn’t want it. “No sane man would want the papacy,” Bellini says.
Read Sammie’s full review on Rough Draft
