Conclave | 2024 | PG | – 1.2.2

Why is “Conclave” rated PG? The MPAA rating has been assigned for “thematic material and smoking.” The Kids-In-Mind.com evaluation includes references to sexual violence, discussions of a sexual indiscretion that produced a child, discussions of gender at birth, a car bomb explosion causing the deaths of many people without visible gore, a person with a bomb attached to himself, discussions of secrets and ambition, discussions of the process of choosing a new Pope, several arguments and some name-calling. Read our parents’ guide below for details on sexual content, violence & strong language.

---

The death of the Pope requires the Cardinals to be sequestered in a conclave to determine who will be chosen to take his place. One Cardinal (Ralph Fiennes) is confounded by the secrets that are uncovered during the process. Also with Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati, Jacek Koman, Bruno Novelli, Thomas Loibl, Brían F. O’Byrne and Isabella Rossellini. Directed by Edward Berger. Many lines of dialogue are spoken in Latin with English subtitles and some are spoken without translation. Several lines of dialogue are spoken in Italian and Spanish with English subtitles. [Running Time: 2:00]

Conclave SEX/NUDITY 1

 – A reference is made to genocidal sexual violence in war-torn countries. A man discusses an indiscretion when he was a younger man and that he had a child with a woman. A man discusses his vision for the Catholic Church including liberal views on gay people and divorce. People discuss a laparoscopic hysterectomy procedure.
► A male statue shows bare chest, abdomen, genitals and legs. A statue of a lion shows part of the genitals under the tail.

Conclave VIOLENCE/GORE 2

 – An explosion outside a building breaks the windows and throws dust and debris into a room where several men are covered with dust and a few have bloody cuts on their heads and faces. We hear that an explosion was a car bomb and that a man also had a bomb strapped to his body and detonated it causing the deaths of 52 people.
► A man falls to his knees and tells another man about someone having been fired for gross misconduct and the other man asks him if he has been drinking. We hear a man and a woman arguing in a hallway. A man pleads with another man not to destroy him by revealing an indiscretion. A man breaks a seal on a door, enters the room to search for information, and finds a document hidden in a headboard; a woman stands outside the door when she sees the seal is broken, but does not enter.
► A man walks briskly breathing heavily and appears anxious; he enters a building and sees a man lying motionless in bed and we understand that he is dead. A piece of fabric is placed over the face of a dead man and the body is zipped into a body bag and taken away on a stretcher. A man removes a ring from a dead man’s finger and hammers a seal off the top of it before placing it in a decorated box and putting it with the body.
► A man argues that the selection of a new Pope is a “war.” People discuss what caused the death of a man and a man says that it was a heart attack, but there were signs of illness prior to his death. A man says that he and another man “didn’t part well.” People discuss crises of faith and lost faith and one man says that he has lost faith in the church. Men argue about languages dividing people and one man argues that Latin should remain the language of the church. A man discusses his view that women should play more of a role in the Catholic Church. A man says that the men that are dangerous to an institution are the ones that want a role of power. A man is advised to “offend no one” during a speech. A man talks about wanting to resign his position as dean. A man lists possible indiscretions including being a member of the Hitler Youth, or committing sexual abuse, or being a fascist. A man says that the church is in crisis. A man argues that allowing other religions causes chaos and violence and blames Islam for an act of terror.
► Paper ballots are placed in a chamber and are lit on fire with a canister that produces a dark smoke and the smoke is released from a vent that people outside a building see and understand that a vote was not decisive and this happens several times.
► A man is frustrated and tears open a bag of toiletries. Several people walk through a security checkpoint and turn over their cell phones before entering a sequestered building.

Conclave LANGUAGE 2

 – 2 mild obscenities, name-calling (fairly dreadful, too fat, dirty, absurd, manager, ridiculous, savage, disgraceful plot, libel, despicable, animals, small petty man, shameful, temerity, Judas, traitor), exclamations (save your precious doubts, this is a war), 17 religious exclamations (e.g. oh God, my God, a prayer is recited over a dead body, bless you, Christ, God’s will, a prayer is recited before a meal, Holy Father, he is with God, God, oh dear God, brothers in Christ, Christ Lord God, gift from God, pray to God). | profanity glossary |

Conclave SUBSTANCE USE

 – Men smoke cigarettes in numerous scenes, a man smokes from a vape in a few scenes, several security guards smoke outside several buses, and many cigarette butts are seen on the ground.

Conclave DISCUSSION TOPICS

 – The Catholic Church, tradition, selecting a Pope, rumors, burden, aging, politics, spying, trust, reform, institutional corruption, courage, libel, atonement, secrets, progress, doubt, factions, gender, variety, diversity, judgement, claustrophobia, ambition, racism, common sense, gross misconduct, living in sin, respecting other faiths, tolerance.

Conclave MESSAGE

 – Certainty is the enemy of unity and tolerance.