Conclave (2024)

[SeanC]

With the death of the Pope, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with presiding over the conclave to select the new pontifex maximus. While Lawrence is aligned with the liberal faction of the recently deceased pope and his presumed ideological heir Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci), alternative candidates include ultra-traditionalist Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), social conservative Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), and moderate conservative Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow). Shenanigans ensue, involving, among others, a mysterious new cardinal created in secret by the prior pope (Carlos Diehz) and a nun who gives a lot of meaningful looks (Isabella Rossellini).

As has been widely remarked in the reviews, this is a lot more pulpily entertaining than you might initially expect. It's a fun movie, very well-acted and well-made. Some of the Oscar buzz surprised me to an extent (the Academy has certainly recognized worse), but based on the box office this is a successful film for adults, and those tend to get an invite to the table. I think Fiennes' character's spiritual crisis is a bit thinly sketched, but he's terrific in the role and his more managerial concerns are well-depicted.

I'd never seen Castellitto before, but he's a real scene-stealer in his heel role (and with a particularly fun use of a vape pen as a prop).

[Browncoat]

I liked it quite a lot.  In addition to the riveting story, there were some stunning visuals.

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 11/10/2024 at 7:51 PM, SeanC said:

As has been widely remarked in the reviews, this is a lot more pulpily entertaining than you might initially expect. It's a fun movie, very well-acted and well-made.

I couldn't agree more.  I never expected a movie about picking a new pope to be such a rollicking good time. 

On 11/11/2024 at 6:25 AM, Browncoat said:

there were some stunning visuals.

I loved that frequent shot of the hallway with the row of doors on either side, angled just a little bit from the side.  And the sound design was fantastic, too:  those heavy doors closing.

But I have a question (and PLEASE don't spoil yourself if you haven't seen it; I'm a big fan of spoilers because I usually like to know how a movie ends so I'm not all nervous for the two hours leading up to it, but you do NOT want to be spoiled on this one):

Spoiler

So was the new pope a woman?  He said he had a uterus (and ovaries?) that he changed his mind about having removed.  And he talked about how a priest's life is modest, which I'm guessing meant nobody ever saw him naked.  But what about breasts?  Or is it something really exotic like he has a penis but also a uterus?

 

[Browncoat]

I have gone back and forth on that, @StatisticalOutlier, and can't quite decide.  I am leaning toward

Spoiler

woman, and maybe he already had top surgery?  Because why would he be so modest if he had a penis? 

 

[SeanC]

21 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

But I have a question (and PLEASE don't spoil yourself if you haven't seen it; I'm a big fan of spoilers because I usually like to know how a movie ends so I'm not all nervous for the two hours leading up to it, but you do NOT want to be spoiled on this one):

  Hide contents

So was the new pope a woman?  He said he had a uterus (and ovaries?) that he changed his mind about having removed.  And he talked about how a priest's life is modest, which I'm guessing meant nobody ever saw him naked.  But what about breasts?  Or is it something really exotic like he has a penis but also a uterus?

 

With regarding to this:

Spoiler

Cardinal Benitez/Innocent XIV is intersex. He has male external genitalia (or an approximation), hence why he was considered male at birth and into his adulthood, but female chromosomes and a uterus.

He tells Cardinal Lawrence that he did not learn about any of this until he was already a priest, at which point he contemplated resigning but was dissuaded from doing so by the prior pope.

Edited November 20, 2024 by SeanC

[DanaK]

This starts streaming on Peacock December 13

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2024/12/06/peacock-exclusively-streams-focus-features-conclave-beginning-december-13-862115/20241206peacock01/

[StatisticalOutlier]

@Browncoat Here's my thought on your thought:

Spoiler

I'm with @SeanC that he was intersex.  I recall that he said something about being how god made him, which I infer means he hadn't had any surgery. 

 

[SoMuchTV]

On 11/19/2024 at 1:09 AM, StatisticalOutlier said:

But I have a question (and PLEASE don't spoil yourself if you haven't seen it; I'm a big fan of spoilers because I usually like to know how a movie ends so I'm not all nervous for the two hours leading up to it, but you do NOT want to be spoiled on this one):

  Hide contents

So was the new pope a woman?  He said he had a uterus (and ovaries?) that he changed his mind about having removed.  And he talked about how a priest's life is modest, which I'm guessing meant nobody ever saw him naked.  But what about breasts?  Or is it something really exotic like he has a penis but also a uterus?

 

 

On 11/19/2024 at 3:08 PM, Browncoat said:

I have gone back and forth on that, @StatisticalOutlier, and can't quite decide.  I am leaning toward

  Hide contents

woman, and maybe he already had top surgery?  Because why would he be so modest if he had a penis? 

 

 

On 11/19/2024 at 10:04 PM, SeanC said:

 

With regarding to this:

  Hide contents

Cardinal Benitez/Innocent XIV is intersex. He has male external genitalia (or an approximation), hence why he was considered male at birth and into his adulthood, but female chromosomes and a uterus.

He tells Cardinal Lawrence that he did not learn about any of this until he was already a priest, at which point he contemplated resigning but was dissuaded from doing so by the prior pope.

 

On 12/7/2024 at 1:20 PM, StatisticalOutlier said:

@Browncoat Here's my thought on your thought:

  Hide contents

I'm with @SeanC that he was intersex.  I recall that he said something about being how god made him, which I infer means he hadn't had any surgery. 

 

I just watched this (it's streaming on Peacock now) so it's fresh in my mind.  I definitely agree with @SeanC and @StatisticalOutlier on this.

Spoiler

Nobody suspected an issue until he had surgery for his appendix and discovered the unexpected organs.  He would have definitely known if he'd had top surgery! (Unless he's lying about it, but that seems unlikely.)  Regarding the modesty at the seminary - he probably didn't look exactly like the other boys, but nobody was looking closely enough to question it.

And, I apologize for all the spoiler tags but in this case I think they’re warranted, and I appreciate that everyone else has been using them. 

Regarding the turn of events we’ve been talking around, I was thinking it would either be something close to what happened, or alternatively

Spoiler

that the “secret” cardinal turned out to be an imposter after all, possibly a terrorist plant 

 

Edited December 13, 2024 by SoMuchTV
Adding some thoughts

[Spartan Girl]

This really was entertaining. Ralph Fiennes is awesome, as always. And all I can say is that the right person won the popehood.

Is it weird that I got such a kick out of seeing the cardinals smoke and check their phones like everyone else?

Edited December 14, 2024 by Spartan Girl

[DoctorAtomic]

I enjoyed the movie for most of the reasons here. I guessed who would be elected pope, but was surprised it was so early on. I didn't see the twist coming. 

I did laugh at how the movie would suggest that the selection of a new pope would cause bombings and strife. 

I also laughed at the Dean (Fiennes) being all 'we're sequestered; we can't have outside information affecting the voting' and then copying the report to hand out to everyone or looking up who brought in the African nun. 

You may not want to be pope, but you sure want more of a say in it. 

I liked Cardinal Stanley Tucci's realpolitik approach. 

[Sarah 103]

On 11/19/2024 at 1:09 AM, StatisticalOutlier said:

 

  Hide contents

So was the new pope a woman?  He said he had a uterus (and ovaries?) that he changed his mind about having removed.  And he talked about how a priest's life is modest, which I'm guessing meant nobody ever saw him naked.  But what about breasts?  Or is it something really exotic like he has a penis but also a uterus?

 

Spoiler

The new Pope is intersex. He was born with male genitalia and appeared to the outside world to be male. Maybe a bit "feminine looking" but nothing that would make people look twice or suspect anything was amiss. As far as he knew, he was a male and had no idea he was significantly different anatomically from most other men. The new Pope did not discover he was intersex until well into adulthood when he needed an appendectomy. 

 

On 12/25/2024 at 10:55 AM, DoctorAtomic said:

I did laugh at how the movie would suggest that the selection of a new pope would cause bombings and strife. 

I thought the reason for the attacks was that it was a high profile event. The eyes of the world were on the Vatican/Rome and there would be large media presence as well.    

On 12/25/2024 at 10:55 AM, DoctorAtomic said:

I liked Cardinal Stanley Tucci's realpolitik approach. 

This was one of elements of the movie that surprised me the most. It was like an old school political convention with factions, different candidates competing against each other within a faction, candidates trying to figure out who to tell their supporter to vote for when he dropped out or was no longer viable, and at the same time trying to stop the other faction from winning the ultimate prize. 

Overall, it was an enjoyable political thriller and I am glad I watched it. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Sarah 103