Conclave 4K 2024

I was looking forward to the movie “Conclave”. My attention was immediately attracted by the cast and the word “thriller” in the genre column. And when I learned that it was an adaptation of a book by the respected Robert Harris, I couldn't resist and read it in one sitting. I'm often told that I should not do so, especially with genre literature, like I'll spoil the pleasure of watching a movie. But. That's the magic of movies - to create your own vision of a story based on the material at hand. Berger, though he's no Roman Polanski, succeeds at this - keep the suspense going, and lo and behold, the same story from the mouths of two narrators sounds different.

For starters, so as not to confuse the viewer, I would drop the word “thriller”. Yes, both in the book and in the movie there is saspens, and the syllable and picture are built fascinatingly, but rather, “Conclave” is an airtight detective with elements of subtle psychological play by Rafe Fiennes. But even this definition will not be accurate, as the finale will turn the idea of everything seen before. And if in Robert Harris' version “Conclave” is a pamphlet, a topical joke on those in power, then in Edward Berger's performance the satirical subtext is softened by shifting the story from the general to the private - the individual. And I like that.

There's a lot of reflection on doubt and certainty in the movie. I think it's on these two oppositions that the conflict of “Conclave” is built. Both spiritual and material. And all these experiences and passions are concentrated in one figure - Dean Lawrence (Rafe Fiennes), who plays the whole spectrum of internal struggle with every feature of his face. All of the suspense is encapsulated in the changing emotions on his face, as is the entire pleasure of watching the movie. It's like watching the play of light and shadow, you can't tear your eyes away! And where in the book thousands of words are spent to describe the hopes of the attendants on the highest throne, fantasies are drawn and retreats are required, in the movie it is enough to lower the corners of Rafe Fiennes' mouth for the joy of victory to be replaced by the bitterness of defeat. Dear Rafe, at the upcoming Academy Awards, with all my heart, I'm rooting for you.

The fact that the film has a clear favorite makes the overall impression of the work of the entire cast a little easier to take in. For example, in the book, Harris was attentive to all the pretenders to the throne, which strongly fueled the intrigue and kept the suspense until the very end, while the election procedure itself remained unchanged and repeated over and over again. For example, Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), a much larger and more formidable figure in the pages of the book, is completely lost when transferred to the screen. As always, the filmmakers are too quick to write off reactionary patriarchs. It's a pity. It would have been interesting to watch Castellitto's cunning fox play, and I expected a more vivid performance from John Lithgow's hissing reptile. It is clear that the simplification of their storylines is a clever maneuver to give all the attention to the screen favorite, but in the future I expect more daring decisions from director Edward Berger.

The color work, on the other hand, is very much to my liking. It is noticeable that Berger was inspired by the joint work of Robert Harris and Roman Polanski - in “Conclave” prevail steel shades, against which background even brighter scarlet clergy vestments. A kind of visual reflection of both repressed passions and confirmation that a real battle of ambitions is unfolding on the screen.

But back to how Harris's text differs from Berger's view. I'll be honest, I didn't experience disappointment with either the book or the movie, though both sin of deceiving their audiences. The book reminded me that plans are extremely unreliable and fate is incredibly ironic. I have a very different impression of the movie's finale. To some it will seem pathos and ridiculous, but to me, it is the best statement about self-acceptance in the whole 2024. When for many directors this theme is inextricably linked with epatage and provocation - what Coralie Farge's “Substance” alone is worth, Berger's “Conclave” sounds different - harmonious and peaceful. Bravo.

And for the turtles, as a hidden hint that we are all God's creatures, a special thanks.