This was a heartwarming and touching documentary presented in an unusual film-like narrative that explored aging, loneliness and death but peppered with humour, sincerity and tenderness. Shortlisted as Chile's entry for both Best International Feature Film and Best Documentary Feature in this year's Oscar race, but I think its chances to making it into the top 5 are slim given its more simplistic subject matter compared to the other contenders. Nonetheless, this was a highly enjoyable film that will truly warmed the cockles of even the most cold-blooded hearts and encourage you to love your parents, the aged amongst your community and your own loved ones.
Written and directed by Maite Alberdi, this 84-minutes film ostensibly used a cover of alleged elderly abuse in a nursing home to instead reveal a story of mostly-abandoned old folks grappling with the lost of identity, the lost of independence and loneliness. However, this was only possible because of the compelling and highly empathetic protagonist - the titular mole agent - that they found/engaged.
Senor Sergio may be old and initially slightly technologically challenged but he clearly possessed a heart of gold. His interactions with the residents of the nursing home were filled with wry, deadpanned humour that proved both insightful and piercing. How he, and the film crew, could get away with the investigative prying is a mystery that is best left ignored to fully appreciate the film's final payoff. There was a throwaway line that the film crew was already there filming the nursing home for a documentary but that would put them on high alert to be on their best behaviour, no? Shrugs.
Nonetheless, the key were the people in the film. The main residents with whom Sergio connected with were great characters in their own right and their interactions and stories carried such heavy authenticity that they truly overshadowed the premise's initial investigation of elderly abuse.
The Mole Agent was an unusual little documentary that should be sought out. I do hope it gets some award recognition so that more people will see it.
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