THE MOLE AGENT

Chile, 2020, 84 minutes, Colour.

Sergio Chamy, Romulo Aitken, Marta Olivares, Ruby Olivares.

Directed by Maite Alberdi.

Suddenly, in the trailer for The Mole Agent, large letters appear: “The Most Heartwarming Spy Story…”. Spy story? And G-rated?

Here is a story from Chile, but a story that could happen anywhere around the world. Well, not the initial part of the story… We are introduced to an investigator who is conducting auditions for a spy, someone to infiltrate a home for the aged and find out information about how one of the women is being treated. But the surprise is, for the audience, and for the elderly gentleman who respond to the advertisement, the investigator is looking for someone between the ages of 80-90. We are puzzled. They are puzzled. We listen to what is required of them. And we see how they need to have a bit of knowledge of contemporary technology for the reports, and their “deliveries”..

It was a bit surprising to find the man that they chose, Sergio Chamy, was rather quiet and retired, a gentlemen, dapper in his way, wearing a suit and tie. He is committed to the home by the investigator and by surgeons daughter. In he goes and begins his espionage!

The audience spends quite a deal of time in the home along with Sergio, 40 women living in and a few men. And we get to know quite a number of the women – although Sergio has a hard time trying to track down Sonia, the mother of the investigator’s client. He asks people. He looks at the notices on the 40 doors. He also reports that he finds it difficult sometimes to tell one woman from the other – which may be the problem for us in the audience as well, this reviewer not being able to identify Sonia whenever she appeared, seeming to disappear within the group!

Actually, Sergio in his unobtrusive way, is a great hit with the ladies. They find him charming. They enjoy his conversation. One of them even imagines wedding bells. And, at one of the socials, he is chosen to be the king of the celebration, all the ladies wanted to dance with him. Obviously, the tasks of a Mole Agent are not always burdensome.

This is a very cheerful home for the aged. The ladies are happy together in the common room, enjoy celebrations, visiting singers, and quite a birthday party for Sergio’s 84^th.

He does do the investigation, talks with Sonia, talks with many of the other ladies, one something of a kleptomaniac who continually wants to phone her mother and the authorities comforting her on the other end of the phone, another a poet, a number not getting any visitors but Sergio finding photos of her family to console her. He expresses the opinion that loneliness is the main problem with those who live in the home.

(An aside on pastoral dimensions of home for the aged. This film highlights how wonderful some companionship is, some listening, some sharing, not leaving people alone in their loneliness. This is Chile, there are lots of Catholic images, prayers, but no sign of Catholic pastoral workers visiting, no sign of a priest, even at a funeral ceremony.)

1. Espionage? Infiltration? In a home for the aged?
2. A film from Chile, Latin American sensibility? The home for the aged, the interiors? Business offices? Atmosphere? The musical score? Songs?
3. The situation, the client upset about her mother and the treatment in the home, employing the investigating agency? The interviews with the elderly men, the range of interviews, their responses, the explanation of the task, the need for technology knowledge?
4. Romulo, the agency, conducting the interviews, his manner, explanations, the continued contact with Sergio, the phone, the deliveries? His interventions?
5. The choice of Sergio, his age, the discussions, learning to use the phone? His daughter and her agreement, taking him to the home? His being received, the manager, the staff, his room? Sergio’s personality, quiet, agreeable, the widower, his children and grandchildren?
6. Sergio and his task, identifying Sonia, searching the rooms and the doors, discussions with the various elderly women? Finally finding Sonia, the situation, lonely, disagreeable? His making friends with the other women, with Marta (and the staff with the phone calls to her mother, stealing things), the poet and her poems, the old lady attracted by Sergio, the conversations, with the staff, the possibilities for marriage, the two together, his explanation that he was grieving for his wife? The other members of the home, Sergio agreeable, the meals, his being crowned King, the dancing? His birthday, the cake, the celebration, joy?
7. His glasses, the camera, his reports? Discovering the reality of the home?
8. The staff, helpful and caring? The elderly and the main theme of loneliness? Family not visiting? His getting the photos of the family for the sad lady? Joy with gatherings and the common room, the visitors and singing, the celebrations? The sadness of the funeral?
9. The Catholic background, images, prayers? But no chaplain? No priest for the funeral?
10. The film highlighting the need for pastoral care, visits, companionship?