We saw some great films at last year’s Berlinale; few left as large an impression as Pablo Larraín‘s The Club. And while this experience may sound emotionally overwhelming — our review called it “a scathing j’accuse directed at the institution of the Catholic Church that represents his most uncompromising and vociferous film to date” — it also makes for a cracking bit of drama, which helped earn the festival’s Silver Bear.
A U.S. release is coming soon, and, with that, there’s a first trailer. While anything that gets people seated is in essence a good thing, I’d advise, gently, not watching the preview; based on what I’ve read and what’s shown here — admittedly a limited perspective — going into this one knowing it’s a highly acclaimed thriller ought to be sufficient. The best movies of the year can only be experienced so often.
Have a look at the trailer:
Synopsis:
In a secluded house in a small seaside town live four unrelated men and the woman who tends to the house and their needs. All former priests, they have been sent to this quiet exile to purge the sins of their pasts, the separation from their communities the worst form of punishment by the Church. They keep to a strict daily schedule devoid of all temptation and spontaneity, each moment a deliberate effort to atone for their wrongdoings. Their fragile stability is disrupted by the arrival of an emissary from the Vatican who seeks to understand the effects of their isolation, and a newly disgraced housemate. Both bring with them the outside world from which the men have long been removed, and the secrets they had thought deeply buried.
The Club will begin a limited release on February 5.