93% on Rotten Tomatoes (out of 316 reviews)
Runtime: 120 minutes
Directed by: Edward Berger
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, Isabella Rossellini
From: A number of different United States and UK entities
There used to be a time when I'd have more interest in viewing the highly-regarded movies in a modern year; not any longer. Whether it be a specific genre like horror or just in general, I'm ambivalent to it all. Don't expect me to go through the Best Picture nominees in 2024, in other words; the regular readers should know the four-letter reason why Anora is not something I'll ever view, nevermind my finding no interest in the plot itself.
That said, I found director Edward Berger's All Quiet on the Western Front to be great and getting to experience two hours of great actors engaging in catty drama, backstabbing, scheming, etc. was of interest. The AMC at Disney Springs is still playing the film so I took advantage of that opportunity. Note that my review will be agnostic; my opinions on religion or the Catholic Church will not factor into my rating. Several mutuals on Letterboxd feature a cross in their display name—their opinion of the movie would be interesting to know.
The Pope has passed away so a Papal conclave was held. Cardinals from around the world come to the Vatican City to vote for the new Pope, a 2/3 majority required for election. In Conclave, Ralph Fiennes leads this process; like IRL, multiple voting sessions are required. Perhaps not like IRL, feuding occurs and it's all petty, a concept that was commented on by a character in the final act. How realistic this was or wasn't also played no role in my rating. The main characters all grapple with doubt; this is spelled out early on in a speech but at least that idea was proven right in the story.
What DID play a role: my personal tastes & my relief that there still could be high-profile releases based on characters talking to each other and the lead (Fiennes in this case) conflicted over who he should explicitly or implicitly support in the conclave. This (IMO) is better than another soulless blockbuster, something vulgar, or filled w/ “modern humor.” I was riveted throughout-even when the most surprising and perhaps inconceivable moments occurred. The performances of Fiennes, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini, Sergio Castellitto, and Carlos Diehz-among others-all delivered. So did the direction of Berger and the unique score of Volker Bertelmann.
Not everyone will enjoy the film as much as moi; that's a realization I can accept. While not essential to see on a cinema screen as opposed to at home, helping its theatrical gross was something I was happy to do. IRL Pope Francis has been in the hospital the past few weeks so perhaps we'll get a real-life conclave—hopefully not as dramatic as in Conclave.
No comments:
Post a Comment