Conclave

In the separate realm of fiction, my feeling is that a palace intrigue is dramatically most effective when the palace is rotting from the inside -- and that Conclave in particular would have gained from a pinch more cynicism.

What unfolds as the cardinals go to war with each other… is as tantalising as a murder mystery. The candidates become suspects, leaks happen, and questions arise about who is telling the truth.

Conclave does not deserve its drama queen reputation.

... Not just dramatically satisfying, but philosophically satisfying.

It’s all competently performed and executed, with loud booms of sound cued to each scene change as an attempt to ramp up the tension, and lots of behind-the-head tracking shots of cardinals anxiously pacing through corridors and stairways.

The tone is wry, the plot sturdy, the main course a thick porterhouse slab of grass-fed, richly marbled acting, delivered to your seat.

a good example of how to apply old-fashioned intrigue and character drama to current politics without letting one overwhelm the other.

[Edward Berger and Robert Harris] put together a script where, far beyond the mere anecdote, they analyze the power games that, now, in a world like ours, are more present than ever. [Full review in Spanish]

It's serious but light on its feet, a good time for an audience that doesn't need everything explained to them but likes everything to be wrapped up tidily. In the current cinematic climate, it's a blessing.

At the heart of this powerful, superbly performed Vatican drama beats a message that is as dangerous as it is timely...A genuinely great movie.