The Dancer Upstairs

REVIEW
On a deserted road in a Latin American country, in the dark just before sunrise, a truck veers to run down a guard at a police checkpoint. Five years later, that country nears collapse under unrelenting terrorist attacks by the elusive rebel leader Ezequiel; he is called El Presidente by his followers. A nascent revolution has been fermenting for years, unrecognized in the casual corruption of a complacent ruling class; it is manifesting itself in the hopelessness and despair that breeds violence without conscience, yet is so far undeclared and anonymous. In an accomplished ensemble, Bardem gives a remarkable performance as Agustín Rejas, once a lawyer, now a Detective Lieutenant of Police. His refined, multilayered portrayal exhibits a man without illusion but still possessed of ideals, a moral man in an immoral world. As it becomes evident that the country is facing revolutionary forces, Rejas is put in charge of identifying and tracking down Ezequiel; the man of principle is set upon the man of chaos, who uses preteens as ambulatory bombs. As violence escalates, soldiers appear on the streets, due process and legal protections erode, and martial law is declared. The military officially take over the hunt for Ezequiel, but Rejas is compelled to continue his quest. Malkovich has delivered an accomplished feature directorial debut, crafting arresting images, moving with liquidity through time and space, exploring the disparate psyches that effect change in volatile times. This film is a meditation on the conflict between commonplace morality and the abstract principle which converts to a callous disregard of human life when applied with absolute certitude. The Dancer Upstairs is as rewarding as it is demanding, and speaks to conditions across the globe.