No

Pablo Larrain's No offers a fact-based account of the outcome of a 1988 referendum, which unexpectedly led to the downfall of General Augusto Pinochet's repressive rule in Chile. Visually, the film adopts a quasi-documentary style, combining new material shot on old film stock using antique cameras with archival news footage to create an unlikely crowd-pleaser that smoothly juxtaposes starkly serious sequences with moments of dark, and not-so-dark, humor to uplifting, Capra-esque effect. While the vote's impact on the restoration of Chilean democracy is the overarching theme, the central narrative follows an incongruously upbeat TV campaign urging citizens to cast their ballots against the dictatorial regime. Gael García Bernal exudes charisma as hotshot young adman René Saavedra, whose specialization in glitzy commercials is instrumental in persuading the electorate to overcome their fear in order to support what was originally dismissed—considering the government's control of the media and employment of various tools of intimidation—as a campaign doomed to fail. No's story about a struggle against tyranny carries universal resonance, and by presenting it in relatively lighthearted fashion but without sacrificing the tragic undertones, Larrain manages to both instruct and entertain—a winning combination much like that used by the campaigners themselves. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by star Gael García Bernal and director Pablo Larraín, a Q&A with Bernal (13 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a fine foreign film.] (F. Swietek)