No Review

Director: Pablo Larrain

Cast: Gael Garcia Bernal, Alfredo Castro, Antonia Zegers, Luis Gnecco, Marcial Tagle, Nestor Cantillana, Jaime Vadell, Pascal Montero

Synopsis: 1988 – when Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet calls for a referendum to decide his permanence in power, his opposition persuade daring advertising exec René Saavedra to head their campaign. With limited resources and under the constant scrutiny of the despot’s watchmen, Saavedra and his team conceive of a bold plan to win the election and free their country from oppression.

There are some films you suspect straight away are destined for Oscar success, but only few manage to live up to expectation. Not only does NO exceed expectation; it takes filmmaking to a whole new level.

Immediately, the film plays around with convention – the whole film is shot on low-definition, 3/4′ Sony U-matic magnetic tape (the same film used in the 1980s, when the story is set) and while it could be incredibly distracting, once the archive footage of the advertising campaigns comes on the screen, it starts to all make sense. Whilst some critics might complain that the low film quality has damaged any chance of making the arthouse-to-mainstream crossover, it’s still an incredibly bold choice, and well executed.

Beneath all of this however is an old fashioned underdog story, with Saavedra’s advertising strategies winning over the Chilean people in a political victory no one believed could happen. The different stories told through this film make it even more appealing – from Saavedra’s wife Veronica (Zegers), who believes her husband is using his tactics for the opposition ‘Yes’ campaign, to his boss Lucho (played by Larrain’s regular leading man Alfredo Castro), who tries to make Saavedra a partner in an effort for his own political ends.

But the leading man Gael Garcia Bernal steals the show, carrying the film an extra step further. It’s a story of true achievement, and Bernal manages to convey his character’s struggle graciously throughout. The actor is at his absolute best here.

However for the hardcore Pablo Larrain fans out there, NO bears a significant change in tone. It’s the third film in his ‘Pinochet trilogy’ (the previous being TONY MANERO and POST MORTEM), but just because this one finishes on a high note, it doesn’t make it any less brilliant than the others.

NO shows that even in the most diabolical circumstances, there sometimes is light at the end of the tunnel; it also provides a fascinating history lesson for viewers with no knowledge of Pinochet’s dictatorship in the ’80s. Never have I seen a film so deserving of its Oscar nomination.

  NO IS RELEASED FEBRUARY 8TH