Ralph Fiennes' new thriller has debuted with a rare 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating.
Conclave - starring the Harry Potter actor and Inside Man's Stanley Tucci - held it's world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival this week where it proved to be a hit with critics, with first reviews leading to a perfect score on the movie review aggregator site.
Set in the Vatican City, the thriller sees Fiennes play Cardinal Lawrence, a leading figure in the Catholic Church who is tasked with selecting a new Pope following the unexpected death of the previous one.
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As the prestigious process gets underway, some of the Church's most powerful leaders gather from all parts of the globe and are locked together in the Vatican halls where startling secrets and a growing conspiracy come to light.
Conclave is based on the book of the same name by Robert Harris and comes from BAFTA-winning director Edward Berger, of All Quiet On The Western Front fame. The supporting cast includes Tucci, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati and Isabella Rossellini.
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Here's a round-up of what reviewers have been saying:
Deadline
"To put it succinctly in literary terms, this one is a real page-turner. In pure cinematic terms it is a barn-burning thriller. A superbly crafted - in every respect - stunning dramatic achievement."
Variety
"Conclave is one of those rare films that respects the audience’s attention, even as it sneaks a few tricks behind their backs."
The Hollywood Reporter
"Conclave demonstrates Berger’s versatility and also offers one of the best roles of his career to Ralph Fiennes, who is supported by an expert ensemble."
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IndieWire
"Fiennes and Tucci are so good at threading the needle between biblical sanctimony and Christmas ham that it’s a treat to watch, even if it fails to reward whatever faith you place in it."
Entertainment Weekly
"Conclave is packed with unexpected twists and its final reveal is one viewers will never see coming, an increasingly rare occurrence in modern movie-making and the mark of an impeccably crafted thriller."
Conclave will be released in the US on November 1 and on November 29 in the UK.
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Emily is an experienced freelance entertainment writer and editor, reporting on all things TV, film, soaps and showbiz. An NCTJ-qualified journalist, with a First Class Honours degree in Journalism from the University of Sussex, Emily is a former Deputy News Editor and Evening News Editor at Digital Spy. She has previously worked at Hello magazine, BBC South News and GoodtoKnow.
A small and big-screen obsessive – with subscriptions to every TV and film service under the sun – Emily knows her movie stars from soap stars, and is always clued up on the latest reality show dumping, just-dropped trailer or off-screen spat. She's interviewed a number of celebrities over the years, with highlights including The Masked Singer host Joel Dommett and GMB's Kate Garraway (who "loved" her trousers).
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