No

No

Director: Pablo Larraín

Those movies nominated for the illustrious Oscars are a typical bunch of tales (many think there are only seven tales) that take us on similar journeys, all similar but slightly different, and return us safely at the end. And for No, which was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, it is no different. This one involves the slaying of a monster; the monster in question is Augusto Pinochet, the Chilean army general and dictator of Chile from 1973-1988, and the sword-slinging hero is advertising executive René, played by Gael Garcia Bernal (The Motorcycle Diaries).

The tale opens in 1988 when, following increased international pressure, a plebiscite of the Chilean citizenry is held as to whether Pinochet should have another 8-year term as President. From here the story plays out in the usual fashion: René is challenged to direct the No campaign, which will bring him and his family into the sights of a heavy handed and deadly regime. And to add more muddle to the picture, René’s boss is working on the Yes campaign, while unsubtly sliding threats his way.

From here, the film’s novel elements are meant to set it apart from all those other generic stories in which a monster is conquered – be it dragon, blonde, or giant. Sure, there are a few of these elements, such as the film’s home-movie feel, but overall the pacing of the film is too slow. The director seems to have fallen in love with slow shots of people walking down streets as lens flares wash out the screen, and neglected what should be at the heart of a potentially powerful piece – the pacing.

No is bloated by drawn-out shots that attempt to convey deep emotional intention, but simply drag it down. It is a shame that a memorable story of true importance about an ad man who helped to take a stand against a dictator was not crafted into something catchier.

Rating: 3/5

This article first appeared in Issue 6, 2013.
Posted 4:40pm Sunday 7th April 2013 by Gerard Barbalich.