"You have to take this in the current social context," ad man René Saavedra (Gael García Bernal) warns his clients before showing them a fairly standard commercial for a newer, freer kind of soda. No Director Pablo Larraín takes a different approach to telling the story of the Chilean referendum that ousted dictator/General Augusto Pinochet in 1988. A monumental transition from dictatorship to democracy and a charismatic central character could make for a quirky reaffirmation of our principles, but Larraín doesn't settle for that. Instead, he and screenwriter Pedro Peirano focus their videocamera's lens on a complex man, a divided Chile, and a real political/philosophical debate.
Saavedra, an advertising executive who is sucked into the "No" referendum campaign is not just a good salesman or an opponent of Pinochet, he's a man who's as divided as the country. He appreciates the promise of democracy while fearing the post-dictatorship upheaval that the more leftist elements could create. His ex-lover (and mother of his child), an aggressive opponent of the regime who he frequently bails out of jail, is one of the many causes (or manifestations) of Saavedra's relatively ambiguous stance. Putting her political agenda before her responsibilities as a mother, she only sees her son after stints of incarceration and insults Saavedra's bourgeois lifestyle. Saavedra must raise his child while still appearing childlike himself - he coasts around on a skateboard and plays with his son's toys more than his son does - likely caused by his exile stripping him of a normal childhood.
The film is concluded by two memorable scenes. In the first, Saavedra walks away from the victorious "No" campaign celebration, holding his son close. While he's swarmed by various people, his face betrays little enthusiasm. It could be that he's in shock, but it seems more likely that he's just overwhelmed by all of the possibilities that the referendum has triggered. Uncertainty stands before him as he journeys through revelers. The second scene shows Saavedra again preparing clients for a new ad that he's created, using his familiar "understanding the social context" disclaimer. There's something new and revolutionary coming, the audience thinks, and yet they're met by more of Saavedra's bland commercial tripe. As much as we expect massive positive changes from this type of transition, No undercuts our romanticization with a more realistic perspective.
Side Notes
Why is there a mime in the commercial?
The use of videotape rather than film allows Larraín to match the archival footage, contribute to the sense of being in 1988, and disassociate No from the brighter, more triumphal approach one would expect from films covering this material.
Crew & Cast
Directed by Pablo Larraín (Post Mortem, Tony Manero, Fuga)
Written by Pedro Peirano (The Maid, Old Cats), based on the unpublished play by Antonio Skármeta
Starring
Gael García Bernal - René Saavedra
Alfredo Castro - Lucho Guzmán
Luis Gnecco - José Tomás Urrutia
Néstor Cantillana - Fernando
Antonia Zegers - Verónica Carvajal