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A Chilean Easter

Amos Lassen | Little Rock, Arkansas | 08/16/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

""The Sacred Family"

A Chilean Easter

Amos Lassen

We do not often have the chance to see films from Chile--for whatever reason. First Run Films brings us a Chilean comedy, "The Sacred Family".
The movie takes place at Easter at the beach house of a wealthy Chilean family made up of a self-centered and successful father, a mother who is totally disoriented and a son whose father completely overshadows him. The three are to be hosts to the son's first "real" girlfriend who is a disturbing and rebellious young woman. She sexily invades the house and causes and emotional cataclysm with no holds barred.
The movie is laden with emotions and it is very powerful probably because it is so real. It takes place over three days during Holy Week and it shows how citizens of Santiago, Chile are--we see young people and parents and how they react to homosexuality, drugs, sex, religion and we see the taboos of Chilean society.
The movie has its flaws such as being paced unevenly but the performances make up for that. The editing is crafty and the humor is gentle.
Sergio Hernandez plays the father to Nestor Cantillana's son. They share the name of Marco. Soledad (Coca Guazzinni) is the mother and the three await the arrival of Sofia (Patricia Lopez), a want-to-be actress. Neighbors Rita and gay law students Aldo and Pedro also get involved in the festivities.
Shortly after Sofia arrives, Soledad is called away. Sofia begins questioning the family about personal matters that she feels represents their class in society. The father is dumbfounded when Sofia asks him if he loves his wife but he is also somewhat attracted to her.
Sofia wants all the young people to go to the beach to drop acid but the highlight of the film is when young Marco finds the older Marco, his father, making out with his girlfriend. His revenge is what dominates the rest of the movie.
There is a beautiful balance between ironic humor with the more serious idea that conditioned lives are always ripe for collapse. As good as individual performances are it is the ensemble work that makes this movie significant.
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