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Cube Critics
Jacob Aloi and Max Sparber

Cube Critics discuss ‘Conclave’

portrait of a man
Ralph Fiennes in "Conclave."
Still image via Focus Features

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“Conclave” is a gripping political thriller set in the Vatican, centered on the high-stakes election of a new pope.

Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence, the meticulous and morally driven Dean of the College of Cardinals, overseeing a process where ambition and ideology collide.

As factions clash — ranging from hardline traditionalists to liberal reformists — performances by Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and others bring depth to this web of backroom machinations.

Less a religious film and more akin to “House of Cards,” “Conclave” explores the power struggles within the Church, revealing how politics and faith intertwine.

With stunning, Caravaggio-like visuals and an almost humorless tone, the film dives into a tense, absorbing series of twists as each vote shifts the fortunes of its characters.