The Club (2015 film)

The Club () is a 2015 Chilean drama film directed, co-produced and co-written by Pablo Larraín. It was screened in the main competition of the 65th Berlin International Film Festival where it won the Jury Grand Prix. It was selected as the Chilean entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards but it was not nominated.
Plot.
Four retired Catholic priests share a secluded house in the outskirts of a small Chilean beach town under the supervision of a vigilant female caretaker who used to be a nun. The four men are there to discreetly purge their alleged 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.
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 88% score based on 89 reviews, with an average rating of 7.86/10. 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 73 out of 100 score based on 26 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".