By CYNTHIA BIDDLECOMB
Los Alamos
“Small Things Like These” brings Cillian Murphy (2023’s Oppenheimer) into deeply emotional territory, his face exposing the internal thoughts of Bill Furlong. Bill is a father of five daughters, all living in 1985’s Wexford County, Ireland. Bill’s wife Eileen (played by Irish film and television actress Eileen Walsh) notices that her man-of-few-words is going through something deeply troubling; thanks to her we learn more about his worries.
Bill runs his own coal and propane delivery service. He has a few guys working for him; occasionally one of them will need a bit of a handout and Bill comes through. It is on one of Bill’s coal delivery runs to the local convent that he begins to take note of the nuns’ ministry to pregnant teens. The encounters he has there bring back memories of his own mother whose surname he carries. Successive coal runs to the convent reveal the darker side of that ministry, leading to him dealing directly with the Mother Superior (Emily Watson).
The film is atmospheric yet dark, the background sounds playing a key role. Bill and Eileen’s house is happy but cramped, filmed through doorways to create claustrophobia. The score is haunting, perhaps to remind of the serious injustice of this kind of convent, which was outlawed in Ireland in 1998. (The PG-13 rating no doubt is due to the subject of teen pregnancy.) This is a quiet, intense film, running 1 hour and 18 minutes. This man who internalizes everything, and the intensity of his situation, is based of Claire Keegan’s novel of the same name. Take note: “Small Things…” may get an Oscar nod for Best Actor next February. (SALA Nov. 15-17).
“Conclave” features well-known actors Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini and John Lithgow. The story, based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Robert Harris, begins with the unexpected death of the Pope. Cardinals fly in from around the world and Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) arrives to serve as Dean of the Conclave that will elect the next Pope. The 108 cardinals present, each with a vote and a chance to be the next pope, seemingly change their votes with each ballot. Factions are coalescing around particular candidates, each with strong opinions about the future of the Church.
This film offers intense action which one might not have anticipated, given the film’s title. Thetension starts building as soon as security shutters descend outside the windows. Sequestered for days, with 107 other powerful church leaders, each man’s mask of civility begins to erode.
Who among them does not have a secret in their past? Who they choose will determine the future direction of the Church.
In Conclave the acting is top notch, with Fiennes and Stanley Tucci (Cardinal Aldo Bellini) as possible contenders for Oscar glory. Cinematography was a primary consideration in the making of this film: sumptuous interiors, vestment textiles, and architectural details are paired with artistic exterior shots. The Sistine Chapel was convincingly recreated as the film’s main stage. This is another grown-up film; it runs 2 hours and is rated PG. (Now playing: Violet Crown, Santa Fe)