The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureCinemaMovie reviews

No

No | Movie review
24 February 2013
Eleanor MacFarlane
Avatar
Eleanor MacFarlane
24 February 2013

Chile had already been in a dictatorship for 15 years by the late 80s. Pressured by major investors in the United States, and for international credibility, General Pinochet’s government organised a referendum deciding whether Pinochet would have eight more years or not. This is the story of the campaign for No.

René (Gael Garcia Bernal) works in advertising, producing cheesy, successful mainstream campaigns. When he is approached by a leader of the opposition to help with the No TV campaign, he becomes drawn in to subterfuge in order to film while avoiding the dangers of the regime. The campaigns, the government Yes, and the opposition No are given 15 minutes each night for a month to broadcast their message on national TV.

The film makes it totally understandable why oppressed people might vote to continue their oppression, despite thousands of political executions, disappearances and the ever present danger of police violence – when the government has total power and control the media, all opposition is shown as terrorism, and so people become even more afraid of change, fearing that it will be even worse.

René’s advertising instincts kick in, and he urges the No campaign to ditch endless dreary footage of the horrors of the regime, which just plays in to generating more fear, and instead to present change and democracy as something attractive and happy, like a brand they are selling. Despite everything the government throws at the No campaign, dirty tricks and very real threats, René convinces them stick to the plan, and answer everything with more humour, happiness and hope, even while his boss is working on the “yes” side.

This is exactly the type of film created for film festivals – foreign, subtitled and totally brilliant. If the film distribution business was really a meritocracy such films would be more widely seen, and so grab a ticket while you can. Funny, intelligent and alarming, the best thing about No is that it is based upon truth.

★★★★★

Eleanor MacFarlane

No is released nationwide on 8th February 2013.

Watch the trailer for No here:

Related Itemsreview

More in Movie reviews

Imperial Blue

★★★★★
Guy Lambert
Read More

MLK/FBI

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

Sing Me a Song

★★★★★
Abbie Grundy
Read More

A Night of Horror: Nightmare Radio

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

Wonder Woman 1984

★★★★★
Jake Cudsi
Read More

Come Away

★★★★★
Sylvia Unerman
Read More

Murder Me, Monster

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

David Byrne’s American Utopia

★★★★★
Rosamund Kelby
Read More

Dreamland

★★★★★
Guy Lambert
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • An interview with Ifrah Ismael: Tales from the Front Line and other stories
    Theatre
  • Female filmmakers lead nominees for the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards
    Cinema
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Sleaford Mods – Spare Ribs
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Jeremiah Fraites: Piano Piano
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Unlimited Festival at the Southbank Centre: Centre stage for diversity
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • RSC Next Generation: Young Bloods proves Shakespeare is timeless
    Theatre
  • The White Tiger
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • The different types of Covid testing explained
    Tech & Sport
  • Female filmmakers lead nominees for the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards
    Cinema
  • WandaVision: Marvel’s charming sitcom proves an astounding success
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Undercover at Morpheus Show Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Ten short literary collections to get you back into reading
    Literature
  • Mayor
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Matthew Harris & Tim Rowan at Erskine, Hall & Coe | Exhibition review
85th Academy awards: Best Picture Oscar predictions