If you’d have asked me a year ago which film would be all the buzz in the first quarter of 2025, I will bet any amount of money I wouldn’t have said the one about sequestered Catholic cardinals voting on who would be the new Pope. But Edward Berger’s Conclave is much more than a simple political and religious drama; I’d like to uncover its layers to reveal why it has taken online film communities by storm, as well as adding multiple BAFTAs, a SAG award, and more to its list of awards.

The premise of Conclave is very simple. The Pope has passed away, and so Ralph Fiennes’ dean Thomas Lawrence must lead a conclave in which the College of Cardinals gathers to elect his successor. From this synopsis, I’m sure I wouldn’t be alone in predicting a sombre, serious narrative infused with theological exploration and political tension. And from the very first scene, the sudden punches of violin hint at a quite different approach. The soundtrack, as in Berger’s previous film All Quiet on the Western Front, is crucial to the elevated atmosphere, punctuating the opening with a quick pace and pulsing energy – and it only intensifies from here.

As the cardinals arrive at the Vatican, we quickly see how power-driven, petty and judgemental they are. They huddle in the courtyard in small, cliquish groups; in the dining room they sit in factions divided by their native languages; they group to discuss voting tactics and who they should bolster as a worthy candidate, talking bad about the cardinals who attract their suspicion or disdain. There is a level of duplicity to nearly every single character. Stanely Tucci’s Cardinal Bellini is adamant that he has no desire for the role, and then angrily reprimands Lawrence for taking votes from him not even a day later. Lawrence maintains he has never so much as considered the role, but later reveals he already knows the name he would take as Pope. A plethora of Letterboxd reviews comment on how Mean Girls it all is (here’s a favourite), and there are endless edits of the cardinals flooding TikTok.

So what is it about this portrayal that has everyone so invested? I think this is exactly the answer: the cardinals have drama that seems almost high school, which fundamentally makes it familiar, intriguing and relatable. They discuss important issues with serious ramifications: the reason many of the cardinals, particularly Bellini, hate Sergio Castellito’s hard-right Cardinal Tedesco is because he fears the reversal of church progress Tedesco’s traditional views will bring, especially for minority rights. But framed in the sequestered conclave with its vying factions and dramatic voting scenes steeped in Plot-Significant Eye Contact, there is a hugely entertaining element that keeps you hooked for every slight change of circumstance. The politics can shine through, and be fed to you in a way that satisfies the urge all of us have to indulge in gossip. What’s more, it makes the cardinals feel very normal, in a way religious figures often don’t come across in modern media. Yes, they wear their traditional outfits and their discussion is adorned with formalities, but they are also flawed men who dislike each other, form friendships and make mistakes. It’s a very human drama, despite the presence of God hanging over everything that happens.

This facet of multiplicity is my personal favourite aspect of Berger’s film. It’s able to create this gossipy environment without sacrificing emotional depth, political commentary and theological discussion. At the heart of Lawrence’s arc is his recent crisis of faith. The narrative takes great pains to show where this doubt might find its root, exposing several instances of corruption within the church, but also to show why he hasn’t lost it completely, or even how it may be restored. The figure of Cardinal Benitez is a vital companion to Lawrence’s progression. Without going into specifics and spoiling the film’s arguably poignant ending, Benitez is a figure who embodies multiplicity, and represents the need for the church to reflect all people, not just those the higher-ups of the church want to be represented by.

I think the many layers of Conclave are its most impressive feat by far. It’s refreshing to see a mainstream film deal with religious themes and settings in a complex and interesting way, rather than stumping itself with the question of God’s existence and going no further into all the things that could mean for individuals. Conclave, despite having a scope as large as the leader of the Catholic faith, remains in one location for the entirety of its runtime, and focuses on the individual pieces interacting within an overarching system. It’s global, and personal. It’s silly and entertaining, and it’s serious and poignant. It’s many, many things, which, I believe, is the reason so many people have resonated with some aspect of it.

Image by Cosmin Paduraru on Pexels.