The Club Themes

The Chilean cult filmmaker, Pablo Larraín, endures in his keen observations of the society, interweaving themes such as obsession, morality, complex human conducts, and political denouncement, aspects that can be found in his singular cinematic creations such as “Tony Manero”, “Post Mortem”, and “No”.

In “The Club”, 2015 Berlin’s Grand Jury choice, he aims ferociously and bluntly at the Catholic Church, taking us to a secluded house located in a small Chilean seaside town, to where four former clergymen were sent after being accused of a variety of crimes, including pedophilia.
The house should work as a place of penitence and repent, but works more as a retreat center under the supervision of the permissive Sister Monica (Antonia Zegers, Larraín’s wife),
He’s a former missionary and an experienced psychologist, highly prepared to deal with situations of crisis. By interrogating the priests, Father Garcia becomes more and more entangled in a spiral of deceit and cover-ups.

Tightly structured and compellingly acted, “The Club” is simultaneously repulsive, confrontational, mesmeric, and self-conscious, being conducted with the characteristic elements of Larraín’s style: plenty of darkness all over, provocatively sneering undertones, and an inherent agony that often feels delirious.
The hazy cinematography of Sergio Armstrong, imbued of close-ups, helps to create such a cold atmosphere, letting us experiment the flagrant immorality and sickness of the soul that inhabit in the predators’ heart. These vigilant, startling states contrast with the peaceful surrounding landscapes. The musical score authored by Carlos Cabezas gives the proper weight and dimension to the circumstances
Unsurprisingly, and in opposition to the journalistic “Spotlight”, Mr. Larraín embraces an almost hostile, quite scornful approach to address the topic, totally given from an in-house