I was at Dragon Con, fully immersed in the magic of cosplay, panels and the electric buzz of geekdom that makes you feel like you’re living your best nerdy life. Life was good as I stood in line for a celebrity photo-op, clutching my ticket and nervously rehearsing what to say when I met them. Then, I noticed the guy in front of me — let’s call him “Captain Jedi” for his ambitious mashup costume — had a huge rip down the back of his outfit. It wasn’t subtle either; his “cape” flapped dramatically with every movement, exposing more of his wardrobe malfunction.
That’s when my moral dilemma hit. Should I tell him? On one hand, it felt like the kind thing to do. On the other hand, what if I made him self-conscious before meeting his idol, or worse, he left the line to fix it and lost his spot? And let’s be honest, I wasn’t about to risk my own place in line to explain the situation.
After two minutes of intense internal debate, I tapped him on the shoulder and whispered, “Hey, just so you know, your, uh… outfit is, um, ventilated in the back.” He looked at me deadpan and said, “I know. It’s part of the costume.” And just like that, he turned around confidently, leaving me to stew in my embarrassment. To this day, I still don’t know if that rip was intentional or if I got Jedi mind-tricked by a guy with supreme confidence.
Looking back, my moral dilemma at Dragon Con was hilariously insignificant compared to the weighty choices some people face daily. My stakes were low: a moment of social awkwardness or a mildly inconvenienced cosplayer. But for those investigating powerful people — politicians, corporate giants or even religious institutions — moral dilemmas come with life-altering consequences. Deciding whether to expose corruption or blow the whistle can risk their careers, safety and even their families’ well-being, with outcomes that ripple far beyond their own lives.
Compared to navigating those high-stakes ethical minefields, my cosplay crisis was a fleeting comedy of errors, a stark reminder of how trivial my choices were in the grand scheme of things.
This brings me to Conclave, a mystery thriller directed by Edward Berger. The film begins with the sudden death of the Pope from a heart attack, prompting the College of Cardinals to convene at the Vatican for a papal conclave, presided over by Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes). Among the attendees is an unexpected addition, Cardinal Vincent Benitez (Carlos Diehz), who had been secretly appointed Archbishop by the late Pope.
As voting unfolds, four frontrunners emerge: Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow), Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) and Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci). However, none managed to secure the required two-thirds majority. The tension escalates when unsettling revelations come to light, including Benitez’s unusually close ties to the late Pope and a report that the Pope had demanded Cardinal Tremblay’s resignation just hours before his death.
These revelations force Lawrence to delve into an investigation, peeling back layers of Vatican intrigue and confronting ethical dilemmas that challenge his sense of morality.
(L to R) Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence and Stanley Tucci as Cardinal Bellini in director Edward Berger’s CONCLAVE, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024 All Rights Reserved.
Like any compelling political thriller, Conclave wastes no time setting the stage, introducing the key players and the intricate web of interpersonal dynamics that will drive the drama. At the center is Cardinal Lawrence, a liberal whose progressive views align him with his close friend, Cardinal Bellini, the main counterbalance to the staunchly conservative Cardinal Tedesco. Meanwhile, Cardinal Tremblay represents a moderate voice, appealing to those seeking compromise but not without his own ambitions. The film quickly establishes the ideological tensions within the conclave, painting a vivid picture of the rivalries and alliances forming behind the scenes.
But the real intrigue lies not in what is said or shown outright, but in what lurks beneath the surface — the underhanded deals, whispered betrayals and ruthless jockeying for power that has corrupted this vision of the church. As the Cardinals navigate this high-stakes process, their outwardly pious facades begin to crack, revealing ambitions, fears and compromises that threaten the integrity of the conclave. The phrase “there’s no white smoke without fire” becomes chillingly apt, as the spiritual process of electing a new Pope is overshadowed by the very human flaws of ambition and deceit, leaving audiences questioning whether faith and power can ever truly coexist.
Conclave had me hooked from start to finish. It’s a rare gem of a film, seamlessly blending political intrigue, rich character development and a compelling narrative that keeps the momentum going throughout. The cast delivers solid performances across the board, which is hardly surprising given the caliber of talent involved. With names like Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini, the ensemble is packed with award-winning and nominated actors who know how to bring depth and nuance to their roles.
While no single performance stands head and shoulders above the others, the collective strength of the cast elevates an already engaging story, making it a standout in the genre.
Much of what makes Conclave so engaging is the moral torment shown. As Lawrence digs deeper into the candidate’s background, he begins to uncover corruption, abuse of power and sins that could destroy the very fabric of the Church. It is these moral dilemmas that are so engaging in the film. While my Dragon Con moment exhibited my own meager problem, the ones shown in this film have far-reaching and changing effects. It is that fact that makes watching them and how the Church has to go to great lengths to cover them up can break a person very would.
Conclave earns a flawless five out of five stars. It’s an engrossing, thought-provoking thriller that keeps you hooked from start to finish. The film masterfully pulls back the curtain on the Church, revealing that beneath the pious rituals and devout exteriors lie scandals, moral ambiguity and sins that remind us how deeply human even the most sacred institutions can be.
The stellar cast delivers powerful performances, immersing themselves fully in their roles and bringing life to a mystery that keeps you on edge until the final moments. It’s a far cry from my own low-stakes dilemma with Captain Jedi — while I agonized over whether to point out a ripped costume, the moral quandaries in Conclave carry the weight of faith, truth and the future of an institution.