No-2012

Director Pablo Larraín

Starring Gael García Bernal

Scott’s Review #119

Reviewed July 17, 2014

Grade: B

No is a 2012 Best Foreign Language film nominee that centers around a Chilean ad executive’s campaign to oust a powerful Chilean dictator (Pinochet) from power circa 1988.

The ad executive (played by Gael García Bernal) struggles to create a powerful campaign to influence the media and the voters.

The movie has a documentary-style look and is visually interesting.

You experience firsthand how difficult it was to build a successful campaign amid the political unrest in Chile at the time.

The fact that the film is based on a true story adds a level of interest.

While watching the film, it felt like 1988, and I felt transported back in time, unlike many period films where sets look dressed up for the period.

A detraction of No (2012) was its painfully slow pace, which occasionally made it drag.

Oscar Nominations: Best Foreign Language Film