Sophisticated, beautifully made thriller about institutional faith — takes Christianity seriously even when questioning it, and its central themes are genuinely theological.
Conclave is notable for making the inner life of faith its subject matter. Ralph Fiennes' Cardinal Lawrence is a man of genuine faith wrestling with genuine doubt — not a hypocrite or a villain, but someone who has given his life to the Church and questions whether that was right. The film treats this as a serious moral and spiritual question, not a crisis to be resolved cheaply. The film's central theological tension — between institutional authority and individual conscience, between certainty and doubt as the foundation of faith — is one Christians across denominations will recognize. Hebrews 11:1's definition of faith as 'the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen' is the framework Conclave's protagonist lives within.
Conclave's final revelation (which this review will not spoil) is genuinely controversial among Catholic and Protestant viewers. It introduces a concept that many Christians will find theologically problematic. The film presents it positively. This is worth knowing before viewing and engaging critically rather than passively.
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GodlyScore evaluates every show across nine signal categories grounded in Scripture: profanity (Ephesians 4:29), sexual content (1 Corinthians 6:18-20), violence (Psalm 11:5), LGBT normalization (Romans 1:24-27), spiritual darkness (Ephesians 5:11), glorification of sin (Romans 1:32), deception mechanics (Proverbs 12:22), virtue strength (Philippians 4:8), and redemption arc. The score reflects not just whether content is present but how it's framed — depicted critically, neutrally, or as aspirational. Conclave scores 55/100 Mixed.
See our Christian TV Reviews hub for comparisons. For episode-level content breakdowns, Plugged In and Common Sense Media complement GodlyScore's biblical framework. Age recommendation: older teenagers and adults.