THE MOLE AGENT

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

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When a family grows concerned for their mother’s well-being in a retirement home, private investigator Romulo hires 83-year-old Sergio to become a new resident and a mole inside the home. Sergio struggles to balance his assignment with his increasing involvement in the lives of other residents.

Maite Alberdi and Marcela Santibáñez

A private investigator sends 83-year-old Sergio into a retirement home as a spy. If that sounds like a fictional story, I’m sure you wouldn’t be alone. But “The Mole Agent” is a documentary. It follows Sergio as he infiltrates the home, gets to know the residents there, and attempts to uncover any staff negligence. As he spends the next three months there, he forms bonds with the ladies living there and ultimately discovers the truth.

“The Mole Agent” is an exciting concept and feels new. But the stakes here are pretty low when compared to the other documentaries. “Collective” deals with an entire nation of corruption while “Time” deals with a failing justice system. “My Octopus Teacher” deals with the bigger picture when it comes to man’s bond with nature, while “Crimp Camp” deals with equal rights for those with disabilities. So “The Mole Agent” and its exposé on the inner workings of a retirement home seems small in comparison. Sure, it touches on the residents’ sadness, whose families never come to visit, but that still doesn’t quite reach the other films’ level in the category.