Conclave

Ralph Fiennes leads a fine cast in this sophisticated thriller, which won the best adapted screenplay Oscar and is based on the novel by Robert Harris. After the Pope passes away from a heart attack, the College of Cardinals turns its attention to finding a new leader. In charge of the secretive selection process is Cardinal Lawrence (Fiennes), as four main candidates emerge, including the liberal Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci) and the more conservative Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow). What follows is a surprisingly exciting drama, as corruption and scandal expose the tension between ancient rituals and the need for the Catholic Church to move with the times. Fiennes gives a typically studious turn as Lawrence, a worrisome figure who is crippled by doubts about his own place in the Church, while Tucci is his perfect foil. The film is beautifully designed by Suzie Davies, and director Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) pays due respect to the Catholic institution, while always questioning it.