Film Reviews

The King

• Rating:
• Director: James Marsh
• Starring: Gael Garcia Bernal
• Details: US, 105mins, 18.

Recently released from the Navy, young Elvis (Bernal) seeks out his estranged father David Sandow (Hurt) - now a pastor in Corpus Christi, Texas. David wants nothing to do with his wild past and rebukes Elvis' attempts to join his middle class family, which includes son Paul (Dano) and daughter Malerie (James).Keeping David's identity secret, Elvis woos Malerie, hastening her sexual awakening and the pair embark on an incestuous relationship. When Paul finds out, he goes to Elvis' motel room in the middle of the night to convince Elvis to stop seeing his naive sister. However, the hotheaded Elvis stabs and kills Paul and steals his car. When he confesses all to Malerie, they decide to keep it secret. Lonely for his son, David takes Elvis under his wing and invites him into his house, which has a devastating affect on the family.
Bernal is one of the most talented actors working outside the Hollywood system today. With previous greats like Amores Perros, The Motorcycle Diaries and Y Tu Mama Tambien, Bernal has proved time and time again what an immense flair he has and The King - his first foray into a English speaking feature - is no different. The man is on fire as a cuckoo, a Claudius, and his nonchalant approach to death and his disintegration of his father's family is as cold as any serial killer while simultaneously keeping the audience on his side. Hurt, realising that this is Bernal's film takes a generous back seat while Dano, the best thing in the recent The Ballad Of Jack And Rose, is criminally underused. Marsh directs with confidence and sensually shoots Pell James through an almost amber lens - until she loses her virginity and she is shot in the harsh colours used for the rest of the cast.

Review by Gavin Burke