Of all the reactions a film screening can evoke, one of the lowkey most satisfying has to be the realisation that you can recommend it to your grandparents. Especially when it's actually good and not just another late-stage Kenneth Branagh attempt to remember the good old days. Taken at face value, Edward Berger's decision to follow up a World War One epic with a deep dive into the archaic papal election process of the Catholic Church would appear to have created the perfect matinee double bill. Thankfully, there is slightly more to it than that. Conclave may not be as smart as it purports to be amidst its twists and turns, but like Berger's All Quiet on the Western Front it does at least seek to pry into the morality of men, locked in the bowels of one of our oldest institutions.

Lifting Conclave from surface-level procedural drama to thoroughly entertaining thriller is its execution and performances. Ralph Fiennes' Cardinal Lawrence is the man responsible for navigating several destructive scandals as his fellow Cardinals converge on the Vatican to elect a successor to the recently deceased Pope. The role is tailor-made for Fiennes and he revels in it, striking the ideal balance between sincerity and melodramatic despair to deliver his most compelling turn since 2014's The Grand Budapest Hotel. Matching Fiennes stride-for-stride is a cast that inspires that welcome feeling of several old friends all showing up at once. Stanley Tucci portrays the reluctant Cardinal Bellini with simmering grace, while John Lithgow plays his wide range of hits as the ambitious Cardinal Tremblay. There is real chemistry and a healthy dose of dry humour in the ensemble performance as it carries us through the somewhat telegraphed outcome of the election and an underwhelming final twist that feels tacked on.

Though Conclave‘s resolution ultimately falls flat, its journey zips along at an exhilarating pace through Berger's well-constructed palace of intrigue. Enhancing dialogue-heavy scenes written around the quarrels of old men is no easy feat and Berger rises to the challenge with wonderful direction of his actors combined with the quite beautiful cinematography of Stéphane Fontaine. The look of Conclave is transcendent and Fontaine's use of light and shadow complements the locations and set design without feeling too flashy. It's a feast for the eyes that, along with the performances, significantly punches up the sense of mystery and wonder that enables Conclave to reach its absorbing heights.

Part by-the-numbers, part exceptional, Conclave is elevated awards fodder that succeeds due to high quality presentation in lieu of a convincing conclusion or thought-provoking message beyond the not-so-subtle suggestion to consider what lies beneath. As a movie that you can enjoy with older family members after a filling Italian meal and a few glasses of red, consider Conclave a well-timed release of fumata bianca.

Conclave is currently at VIFF 2024 and will play at LFF 2024 in October. It will be released in UK cinemas on November 29