#2 - THE CLUB (El Club) by Pablo Larrain (Chile)
PABLO LARRAIN confesses the sins of the Catholic Church in what his possibly his darkest film to date - THE CLUB. Despite the delicate themes, however, it somehow manages to feel less controversial due to the fact that THE CLUB does not use a loud and strong tone to portray its story. And yet, it is obviously inspired by the present of the Catholic Church, so much so as to perhaps represent it in a metaphorical way, a fact that is not only supported by the examination of the many scandals that constantly affect the credibility of the Catholic Church, but also by the character of the Jesuit reformist in the film, who seems to directly recall Pope Francis.
THE CLUB takes place in a nameless coastal town, and we follow the lives of a small group of disgraced priests who were sent there to live. It doesn't take long for us to realise that they were sent there because of their criminal activities, which go from child abuse to baby trafficking. Despite this, rather than repent and reflect on their sins, they spend their time living quite a satisfyingly utopian lifestyle, the balance of which is disturbed after a sudden tragic event. This is the plot turn that sees a Jesuit sent to the home to investigate on the happenings.
There is a fundamental lack of likeable characters that is purposeful and powerful in the overall vision of LARRAIN's film. This adds to the concept which drives THE CLUB - the clue is indeed in the title, as it points out the protection in which members of the Catholic Church enjoy, whether it is from the Church itself, or from their own ego as result of being perceived from the world as being representatives of God on Earth. And yet, as afore mentioned, the film supports this idea through a dark story, a deep character examination but also through the use of satire.
Its sombre tone, however, makes it almost disarmingly solemn rather than abrupt and attacking. It is almost as if LARRAIN wanted to represent the shamefulness of the flaws in the Church, rather than fully take advantage of it. This particular tone is shaped by the cinematography, which is keen on making the setting look grey and isolated, but also via a screenplay that looks to desanctify its characters in very drastic ways, without being afraid to reveal the absurdity of its situations.
The cast is excellent. All the players in the film deliver relatively different types of performances that again, all seem to represent different personalities shaped by the perception of the critical eye on the well-known scandals, but also quite simply represent different specimen and shows of essentially vulnerable and broken people.
It is a worrying and disturbing watch, and its story unfolds at a gripping pace. The development of the story is also aided by a fantastic, mysterious and compelling psychology that is very sophisticated and rewarding.