In 1988, after 16 years of military rule by Augusto Pinochet, the population of Chile was faced with two options: extend the dictator’s stint in power by another eight-year term, or usher in a new era. That the Chilean citizenry was empowered with a choice was as significant as the outcome of the plebiscite on Pinochet’s proposed presidency; however, the unprecedented campaign to remove him from power proved just as momentous.
As its title suggests, Pablo Larraín’s No documents the effort to mobilise the vote against Pinochet and for democracy. Advertising executive René Saavedra (Gael García Bernal, A Little Bit of Heaven) lead the charge for the ‘no’ camp, his youth-oriented, American-styled ideas earning the attention of anti-Pinochet socialist Urrutia (Luis Gnecco, Young and Wild) even as Saavedra’s conservative boss, Guzmán (Alfredo Castro, Dog Flesh) takes the reins of the state-sanctioned ‘yes’ contingent.
Employing every marketing ploy conceivable within such a controlled country, both sides attempted to persuade the populace of their ideological merits, sparking a revolution.
Conveying its complex historical narrative with intelligence and intensity, No is far from a standard political feature. Larraín’s first frames highlight the film’s aesthetic and thematic difference, all courtesy of an aspect ratio achieved by shooting on a vintage 1983 U-matic camera. Using 4:3 dimensions offers an immediate and deliberate contrast to the widescreen presentation audiences are familiar with. The director is purposeful in his cultivation of grainy, boxed-in imagery; it allows his fictional scenes to blend effortlessly with archival footage (including authentic advertisements) while also establishing a window into a world both recognisable and revelatory.
In his fourth feature (following Fuga, Tony Manero and Post Mortem), Larraín’s other directorial decisions prove just as astute. Depictions of the repercussions of Saavedra’s efforts are handled with thrilling yet thoughtful precision, with the helmer at his meticulous, immersive best. Similarly, Pedro Peirano’s (Old Cats) smart, satirical screenplay adapts journalist Antonio Skármeta’s (The Postman) unpublished play, El Plebiscito, with depth, dynamism and darkly comic sensibilities. Humour and humanity resonate from the discerning examination of the intertwined worlds of politics and media which results.
The ever-enigmatic Bernal benefits from the perceptive direction and provocative material, in what may be his finest role to date. His innate charisma transcends the muddied visual confines, with the actor as much a shining beacon of hope as the campaign he pilots, even as his character’s inner conflict is masterfully hinted at in Bernal’s performance, subtly but shrewdly correlating with the surrounding story. The leading man epitomises Larraín’s approach and content, presenting an important message in palatable packaging for ease of mass consumption; in the film as in life, it works.
Rating: 4 ½ stars out of 5
No
Director: Pablo Larraín
Chile, 2012, 118 min
Screening as part of Perth Festival’s Lotterywest film program
www.perthfestival.com.au
25 November – 14 April
In general release: 18 April
Distributor: Rialto
Rated M
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