Who would have thought a film about choosing a new Pope could be so gripping? Conclave is based on the book by best-selling historical fiction writer Robert Harris, who also helped with the screenplay. In the hands of director Edward Berger (who previously directed the excellent All Quiet on the Western Front), Conclave unfolds like a thriller or a whodunnit with added political power-plays, as we get to know a group of cardinals who are all vying to become the new Pope. Some have a murky past, while others have less than noble motives.

Only Ralph Fiennes’ Cardinal Lawrence seems to be able to rise above the fray - but even he cannot fail to be drawn deeper into the ever shifting drama. Aside from the superb Fiennes (who gives a nuanced and highly intelligent performance), the film benefits from a high grade supporting cast, including Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati, and Isabella Rossellini.

In The Observer, Wend Ide wrote: “this is a meticulously researched work that excavates the arcane traditions and oddities that are unique to this Catholic ritual. But its appeal lies as much in its universality. Conclave is a story of a power struggle that, if you take away the zucchettos and robes, could play out during a political election. It could be a story of boardroom manoeuvring; an episode of Succession. It’s about a kind of combat, albeit one that only deals in character assassinations rather than actual ones. You may think that being locked in a room with a bunch of pompous elderly men deviously attempting to shaft each other wouldn’t be a lot of fun. But trust me on this: Conclave is a blast.”

Conclave is two hours long, plus an interval.