The Club (2015 film)

Plot

Four retired Catholic priests share a secluded house in the outskirts of a small Chilean beach town, under a vigilant female caretaker who used to be a nun. The four men are there to discreetly purge their sins and crimes (child abuse, baby-snatching for adoptions, whistleblower, etc.). They are not permitted to mingle with the townsfolk and are only allowed to be out during early morning and late night. Their only hobby is breeding a race dog and entering into competitions. This changes for them when a new priest arrives and a victim of his child abuse follows him. This results in the priest committing suicide. Subsequently a new spiritual director arrives and their life and their routine is disrupted.

Cast

Reception

The film was well received, with The Guardian giving it five stars and said Pablo Larraín was "at his most masterful". Variety called it "an original and brilliantly acted chamber drama in which Larrain’s fiercely political voice comes through as loud and clear as ever".

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an 87% score based on 77 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The site's consensus states: "The Club finds director Pablo Larraín continuing to pose difficult questions while exploring weighty themes -- and getting the most out of a talented cast." Metacritic reports a 71 out of 100 score based on 22 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".