Within 30 seconds of learning the basic facts of this movie, I knew it would be a good movie: a fictional behind-the-scenes take on the election of a new pope, a collection of some of the greatest actors of our time—including and staring Ralph Fiennes, and very positive critic reviews. That’s all I needed to know to put “Conclave” at the top of my watchlist, both my wife and I BTW. What I didn’t know and only found out after watching: it’s a great movie, not just good. An instant classic that enters the annals of cinematic history. Yes, it’s that good.

According to the latest Wikipedia entry, “Conclave” only made $62 million in theatrical box office. I suspect this is more because movie studios no longer put their marketing power behind a movie unless it’s a super-family-friendly movie or an action movie with a high body count, and also because they don’t have enough faith to leave quality movies longer in the theater like they used to. Now it’s just three or four weeks in the theater at most for a movie like this, and then it’s streaming a month later. This is a prestige film that 30 or more years ago would have pulled in a lot of awards and audiences. Today, we need to be thankful that movies like this are even made at all.

Haven’t you ever wondered what exactly goes on in the Sistene Chapel once the Cardinals close the doors, sequester themselves, and take repeated votes for a new pope? What do they do? Play cards? Box each other until the final winner gets anointed Pope? Could be anything. The Vatican is shrouds upon shrouds of secrecy, and they of course don’t say. “Conclave” is a story of one such election, based on a very-well-researched fictional novel. Ralph Fiennes, a masterful actor without any doubt, portrays the “dean” who runs the “conclave,” i.e. the sequestered group of more than 100 cardinals of the Roman Catholic church assigned to electing the Pope. Like all very good movies, it’s best to go in knowing as little as possible. Suffice to say that:

• It is intelligent and enthralling from the first moments to the very end.
• Not one dull moment and not one thing that I can criticize. It’s as close to perfect as a movie can be.
• It delves into such themes as church, power, God, faith, religion.
• Who shouldn’t watch this movie? Five-year-olds, or people with the mentality and attention span of a five-year-old. Probably 12 years old and up would be fine.

Note that “Conclave” doesn’t try to sugarcoat Catholicism or the Christian faith, like most evangelically-backed films seem to (for Protestants). Nor does it try to attack these things or bring them down. It just tries to be real within a highly engaging story, delivered with excellence. I may not be a cardinal, but as a believer in God, I can relate to the different portrayals in the movie.

I challenge you to watch the movie, whatever your beliefs in God and the church may be. Perhaps you may not praise it as highly as I do, but I think it’s impossible that you not find this to be a good movie worth your time and any money spent watching it.

Conclave (2024) 95%