Shooting Scenarios: The Mole Agent

The Mole Agent is in a class by itself. For starters, documentaries about private detectives and their moles are exceedingly rare. What’s more, any film that mashes up vérité, film noir, and Pink Panther tone is one of a kind.

The film, by Chilean director Maite Lamberdi, follows 83-year-old widower Sergio Chamy after he’s been hired by a private detective to move into a retirement home near Santiago and act as a spy. His mission: Investigate whether the client’s mother is being mistreated or robbed.

During his stay, Sergio blends in and becomes a favorite of the elderly ladies, who treasure his kindness and attention. He discovers no abuse. Rather, what he observes is the loneliness of old age.

 Sergio does uncover theft, but not from the staff. The culprit is Marta, a senile old lady who’s nonetheless quick with her fingers. The sequence where he proves that she’s the thief is worth singling out, as it involves all three looks of the film: observational footage, film noir, and surveillance shots from Sergio’s spy-craft eyeglasses. It also marks an emotional turning point, where the novice spy shifts allegiance from the detective to his new friends. His heart is no longer in the job.

Published January 21, 2021 in Documentary magazine.