Politics, beliefs, conflict, and beauty. "Conclave" was fascinating.

A conclave is where cardinals choose the next pope after the current one passes away.
I was surprised at how incredibly interesting it was to see a film about the papal election, which takes place in the closed-off Sistine Chapel and is something the general public never gets to see.

The cardinals who gathered from all over the world for the election each have different positions and beliefs. They range from conservative to liberal, so while there are friends among them, there are also those who don't get along, and their opinions are all over the place. Even though they believe in the same religion, it doesn't mean everyone is friends... that's why no matter how many times they vote, they can't reach a unanimous decision on who is the right person, and the smoke remains black.
Lawrence, who is entrusted with managing the election, tries his best, but contrary to his desire to finish it smoothly, one problem after another arises, conflicts are constant, the cardinals' secrets are exposed, and it's just a mess. Also, it was a bit difficult for me as a viewer to remember the faces and names of so many cardinals. I kept wishing there was a character relationship chart in the corner of the screen.
Every time things got confusing, I wanted to check my smartphone, but that wasn't possible, so I tried my best to make mental notes of who was who, and I wrote those mental notes down as soon as I got home.

I never thought a real conclave would be taking place while this movie was in theaters. In reality, there isn't that much messy intrigue... right? Surely not.

I don't want to include any spoilers, so I won't write about the details, but the visuals were beautiful, and I enjoyed it by using my brain and eyes to the fullest. I think it might be one of the best films of the year. If you can, please see it while it's still in theaters.