Today is Sunday, November 3, 2024. Election Day is fast approaching and to escape the inevitable, Elliot and I escaped to the world of cinema to witness an election of another sort, as depicted in the new film from Robert Berger, best known for All Quiet on the Western Front, based on the bestselling novel by Robert Harris, called Conclave starring Ralph Fiennes in an Oscar-worthy performance as Cardinal Lawrence tasked with the job of overseeing the election of a new pope after the current one suddenly dies of a heart attack. The film opens quietly with the death of the Pope, as Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow) declares, “The throne is vacant.” Thus Cardinal Lawrence begins his role as Dean, supervising the election of the new supreme pontiff. He carries out his duties with reluctant diligence, as we learn that the position assigned by the late pope was one that Lawrence did not want.

It is now up to the College of Cardinals to elect a new spiritual leader, where we see about 120 cardinals enter the Vatican to come to a two-thirds supermajority vote on electing the next Bishop of Rome who will oversee 1.3 billion Catholics, steering the oldest institution in the Western world as he sees fit, whether liberal or conservative.

Before long, factions emerge with one possible frontrunner being the American Cardinal Bellini, as portrayed by Stanley Tucci who claims he doesn’t want the position. Bellini faces opposition from Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), an arrogant Italian who wants to have the Church return to ultraconservative doctrine before the Second Vatican Council of the 60s, while Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) would be the first Nigerian candidate if he were to be elected pope. There is an early scene where the racism of the other cardinals is expressed toward the Nigerian cardinal who is a person of color. Thus racism rears its ugly head as the film portrays these Catholic leaders as just ordinary, racist men in fancy robes.

Soon the film morphs into a taut thriller, with Fiennes adopting the role of a detective of sorts as he investigates allegations brought against the leading candidates for supreme pontiff. One of those allegations involve the Nigerian cardinal who allegedly fathered a child with a woman 30 years ago and it was Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow) who engineered bringing back the woman who Adeyemi impregnated all those years ago into the conclave in order to besmirch the cardinal.

The film also boasts a great performance by Isabella Rossellini as Sister Agnes who oversees the housekeeping duties of the sisters tasked with feeding the hungry cardinals. As the movie evolves into a conspiracy thriller, it is Rossellini who delivers the best scene in Conclave, as she interrupts the volatile proceedings by dropping a bombshell, then declaring, “Although we sisters are supposed to be invisible, God has nevertheless given us eyes and ears.”

There is a pivotal exchange between Fiennes and Tucci in which the latter portrays the Italian cardinal as bringing the Church back 50 years if he’s elected. If anyone didn’t see the parallel between the current contest between Harris and Trump, with the latter also being seen as a retrograde force in American politics if he is indeed elected next Tuesday, then you were not truly awake! Of course, the book didn’t focus on this divisive politician, even though the book was published in 2018 when Dump was indeed president, but this scene still seems to resonate with what’s going on in this country at the present moment.

Another layer to the mystery is added when a new candidate emerges among the several frontrunners, Cardinal Benitez (Carlos Diehz), who is an in pectore appointment by the late pope, who comes to the conclave after completing his missionary in war-torn Afghanistan. In a short time, the humble Mexican cardinal becomes popular with the College of Cardinals and the sisters due to his unassuming demeanor. He makes an impassioned speech on equal rights during a meal blessing.

Fiennes displays the weight of the world all throughout the film. He admits his lapse of faith to his confidante and friend, Cardinal Bellini, and advocates for Bellini’s ascension to the papacy. This is Fiennes’ best film role in a long time, in which several film critics have declared.

This may not be the film for everyone, but if you prefer an intellectual thriller over an action thriller replete with explosions and violence involving the election of a new pope – and the actual process involved in electing such a powerful leader – behind the walls of the Vatican, this is the movie for you.

Have a good week. Only two days to go until we either turn the page or we go back to the way things were! Do we really want mourning in America if we choose the latter course? I should hope not!

And so it went!