TheMoleAgent:ASuccessfulMixofGenresAndUnprecedentedSpyMovie

ChileandirectorMaiteAlberdi’snewdocumentary‘TheMoleAgent’istrulyaspythrillerinitsmostinnovativeform.Notonlydoesittakeontherouteofarrangingthecameratobe“hidden”,butthemixingofgenres(documentaryandnarratives)isalsoexceptionallysmoothandtheoverallplotreallyflowed-notdrynorinsincereatall-infact,oneofthemostauthenticandtruthfuldocumentaryfilmmakingamongallin2020.Thepremiseisquitesimple:an83-year-oldgentlemandisguisedasanewresidentinanursinghomewithmostlywomenresidentswhilehe’sreallyahiredspyforaprojectthatapreviouscriminaldetectiveisleading,andthegoalistoinvestigatehowthemomofthebusiness’sclient(thefamily)isdoingintheretirementhome.ThemovieopenswithamontageoftheformercriminalinvestigatorRomuloAitkeninterviewingafewgentlemenwhosharethesameagerange.Thisopeningeffectivelyandjoyfullysetafoundationfortheoveralltoneoftherestofthefilm-andanexpectationfortheaudiencetoknowwhat’stocome.Theresidueofthisfunandheartwarmingthrillerdocumentaryabsolutelydoesnotdisappoint,itcarriesitsinitialcharmthroughouttheentiretyofthemovie.Iftheopeningbuildsahighexpectationofthestorytocome,thenitfullyexploredintermsoftheexcitementandfunonceourprotagonistSergiohadarrivedatthenursinghome.Largelyduetohispersonalcharmandstyle,“He’sagentleman”,“Ithinkhe’sagentleman”,“He’sfuntotalkto,”and“Hegetstheconversationgoing”,aresomeoftheinitialimpressionsthefemaleresidentshadonthisnewcomertotheirhome.NotlongdidSergiortakefortheentirenursinghometofallforhim-he’sunanimouslyselectedasthe“King”oftheretirementhomeandonewoman,Bertita,whowasreadyto“givehervirginitytothegod”,evenalreadyplansanimaginaryweddingwithhim.Sergio,ofcourse,besidesalltheattentionandlovehehasbeenreceiving,doesnotforgetabouthismission-hedidfindSonia,andhehasproceededtobelievethatshehashiddensecrets.LikethevirginBertita,orthesenilewomanwhobelievesishermothercallingheroncesooftenbutnevervisits-itishardnottoshedateartowitnessawomaninherlastphaseoflife,disappointedandsaddened,becausehermomwhichshestillbelievestobealive,nevervisits.SuchscenesandsubplotsconnectandsupportthemainnarrativeofSergio’sspymission;thesescenes,however,farfromabruption,areaneffectivetooltogiveinsightstotheauthenticstateoflivingandstateofmindofthosewhoresideinthenursinghome.Inclearerwordsperhaps,ourprotagonistentersanenvironmentwithagoaltofindoutthetruth,butashe’sdoingso,boththespectatorsandSergiohimself,getsomethingmoreoutoftheoriginal“spywork”,andthatis:howtheelderlyfacethelonelinessandtheinevitablevulnerabilitythatissettocomewiththeirage-andhowshould“we”interactwiththem,theoldergenerationinthesociety.‘TheMoleAgent’isessentiallynomorethanastoryabouttheelderlylivinginnursinghomesdisguisedintheshellofadetective’smission.Butthestoryisbothfullofexcitementandheartfeltmoments,andtheinvestigativenatureoftheplotdoesnothinderthecorefrombeingwarmandtouching.