What happens when good actors collide with a banal script? You get the film CONCLAVE (definition: a meeting of Roman Catholic cardinals secluded continuously while choosing a pope.) With the death of Pope Francis, this film is grievously up-to-date, attracting large audiences on streaming sites learning about the procedural practices of choosing a new Pope along with personal rivalries, intrigues, and the mundane political maneuvering that goes on in every secular election including the use of “dirty tricks” and unearthing “shameful” secrets.
Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci stand out as the “liberal” humanistic Cardinals among the various ideological men-of-the-cloth who are flown in to the Vatican to vote for one of their own who will become the spiritual leader and powerful voice to the “faithful” worldwide. We glimpse men who are ultra-right/left/center/and pragmatic moderates - a microcosm of commonplace politics.
Surprisingly, I was rarely moved or touched by CONCLAVE, but intermittently, Fiennes and Tucci woke up the laconic silence with passionate speeches on morality, tired and tattered beliefs like a delicate cloth that is slowly unraveling, and “doubt” was sanctioned for its allowance of free will and thought. The beauty in CONCLAVE was in the richly ornate ambience; since the Vatican is off-limits, the cinematographers and costume designers did a good job in simulating the Sistine Chapel and the surrounding courtyard, as well as the vestments that the Cardinals wore - a sea of red hats creating an ocean of religiosity.
Women were the helpmeets - nuns cooking for the men, delicately adjusting the chalices and utensils - a dance of black gowns slowly winding their way in a dance of obedience. Isabella Rossellini, as an outlier, figures prominently as a catalyst to CONCLAVE, which has been promoted as a “thriller”- as she steps out of the line of duty, running and turning corners, the long dark dress flying behind her like an awkward marionette doll.
Now we come to the ending, which I will not reveal, but this contrived “deus ex machina” finale totally ruined the film for me. If I were in a theater - instead of watching on Amazon Prime - my groan would have been audible. After all the attempts at accuracy, the ending flew in the face of reality. No more to be said.
No comments:
Post a Comment