The King (2005)

REVIEW
A provocative parable on morality set against the backdrop of American Christian ideology, The King is a scintillating and challenging exploration into the mindset of evil and the boundaries of redemption and forgiveness. The film recalls Badlands in its lyrical beauty, as well as its dissection and subversion of American heartland values. In his fiction feature film directing debut, documentary filmmaker James Marsh (Wisconsin Death Trip) teams with screenwriter Milo Addica (Monster’s Ball, Birth) for a deceptively picturesque tale of murder, romance, rites of passage and religion that is sure to cause much debate — no matter what one’s denomination or beliefs. After three years in the Navy, Elvis Sandow (the extraordinary Gael García Bernal) settles in Corpus Christi, Texas in order to locate his father, David (William Hurt), a former wastrel turned pastor who had no idea that Elvis even existed. Now married with two teenaged children, David is understandably hesitant to start a relationship with Elvis. Not content to wait for David to make up his mind, Elvis ingratiates himself with David’s 16-year-old daughter Malerie (Pell James), with Elvis seducing Malerie and thus setting in motion a series of events that will test the limits of Christian charity and familial ties. Though Elvis’ original intent is never wholly explicated, the story — as seen through the eyes of the nearly angelic looking Elvis — is unpredictable, bold and ultimately unsettling. The exceptional Bernal conveys an innocence that belies the devil underneath; this is in sharp contrast to Hurt’s passionate man of Christ, and the actor smartly balances calls both earthly and from beyond.