Plot: What’s it about?
I’ll come right out and say that religion just isn’t my thing. I suppose I want to believe, but it’s just not the way I’m wired. And, oddly, I used to work at a church. Go figure. Hey, let’s just say they were never late with a paycheck! Having said that, I did covert from Methodism to Catholicism when I got married. That was the tradeoff when marrying into an Irish-Catholic family. I’ve not been to church since that day and though I know you’re not supposed to say “never” I highly doubt I’ll be back. Am I going to hell yet? But the thing is that you don’t have to be Catholic and/or deeply religious to enjoy Conclave – based on the novel by Robert Harris.
A search for a new Pope is underway when the previous one, well, died. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) has been put in charge of leading the charge to select his replacement. But his task is complicated by several factors: there’s a battle for control who have two different points of view. On one side we’ve got Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), a conservative who wants to see the church go back to the way it was. On the other we’ve got Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci) who’s, you guessed it, more liberal. Finally we’ve got Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow), someone with some skeletons in the closet that tied to the former Pope. Things don’t go according to plan – anyone’s plan and it comes down to some behind-the-scenes complications. And these aren’t distractions, rather it’s what makes the film so engrossing.
Make no doubt about it, religion has as much or more drama than any political race I’ve ever seen. Some of the most corporate people I’ve ever known in my life worked at the aforementioned church. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing, but I despise folks who use religion to get their way. There’s no shortage of talent in the film and each give it their all. As good as Fiennes and Tucci are, it’s nice to see John Lithgow again – I’d forgotten what a great actor he is. If you can put aside the subject matter (at least I had to), this is really one of the better films I’ve seen in quite some time. While I won’t be taking confession anytime soon, I still felt a connection albeit very faint.
Video: How’s it look?
While the cast aren’t exactly “spring chickens” any longer, that’s not to say that the film itself doesn’t exude beauty. And I mean that. It’s truly a beautifully-shot film that works on all levels. The 2.39:1 HEVC 4K image raises the bar over its Blu-ray counterpart (also included) with some added color, darker blacks and a tad bit more detail. Little things like the individual bricks, the costumes and the like are so real I felt like I could reach out and touch them. We’ve come so far with these 4K releases that anything less wouldn’t be acceptable.
Audio: How’s it sound?
If you spring for the 4K then you’ll be rewarded with a Dolby Atmos track (the Blu-ray features a Dolby TrueHD track that’s, well, essentially the same). Vocals are pure, sharp, crisp and rich (wow, four adjectives!) and the score is really a thing of beauty. I don’t often say this, but this is one of those scores that I’d consider listening to on its own. I never will, but I could. There’s a certain ambiance in some scenes as well that really fills the room. Suffice it to say that this is a subtle, yet highly effective mix.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Audio Commentary – Director Edward Berger goes solo on this track, but this guy can talk. And he knows his stuff. I suppose that’s important if you’re directing a film. The ins and outs of the shoot are covered as is his praise for actors Stanley Tucci and Ralph Fiennes. He even tells of how and why he composed some shots. It’s a fact-filled track that’s sure to please loyal fans.
- Sequestered: Inside Conclave – While not as interesting as the commentary track, we’re treated to this 15 minute EPK segment that has what we’d expect: some talking heads praising the film and its director, some shots of the city and the like. It’s nothing mind-blowing, but nice to have nonetheless.
The Bottom Line
There’s more to Conclave than meets the eye. It’s got great performances from four seasoned actors, it’s a beautifully-shot film and, to top it all off, it’s a great film. This is one I’d have easily looked over, but I’m glad I gave it a chance. You will too.
