Latin American Director Maite Alberdi is only 37, but obviously an old soul. Many of her films have dealt with nursing homes and aging.
The Mole Agent was just nominated for an Oscar, so I had to take the bait to see what was worthy about it.
Ok, I understand the sincerity and sentimentality of the story: a woman hires a PI to make sure her mother is being cared for in a facility. The PI then hires an older gentleman to be the mole. He’s to locate ‘the target’, take photos and recordings surreptitiously, and report back. The mole needs to acquiesce to three months in a Chilean Nursing Home.
What I enjoyed about the doc were real people moments; the interview with the daughter of the mole (recently widowed) who is truly concerned and needing assurance that her father will not get stuck in there….his convincing the daughter that he’s kind of bored and this is an adventure. Also heartening was the relationships that grew out of his mission.
I won’t spoil the ending or themes that occur, but suffice to say that due to my own ocation- a few miles passed middle age- with healthy parents, the doc was more morose than happy, reminding me of what’s around the corner for us all, making me more keenly aware of my own destiny. Being single certainly makes that reality more stark.
I discovered in researching this doc that it began more as a spy thriller, but the original mole broke his hip and a soft hearted replacement, Sergio, was hired. Sergio’s ‘discovery’ changed the trajectory of the story, turning it to focus more so on the residents (the journey) than the investigation (destination). A life lesson we all realize sooner or later.
The Mole Agent, Not a Dermatologist Film
