Pablo Larraín Focus: Tony Manero

Tragic, blackly humorous and utterly compelling, Tony Manero is a brave, multi-layered thriller that confronts one of the darkest chapters in modern Chilean history.

As Pinochet’s oppressive dictatorship continues to stamp down hard on civil liberties, Raul Peralta escapes from the tedium of everyday life by leading a small group of dancers and obsessing about Tony Manero, John Travolta’s character in Saturday Night Fever. It’s a rocky road to fulfilling his dreams, but he’s prepared to go to any lengths to become a showbiz star and win the TV competition to impersonate his idol.

His sociopathic urge to become Tony Manero drives him to commit a series of crimes while his dancing partners—who are involved in clandestine activities against Pinochet’s regime—continue to be persecuted by the government’s secret police.

Tony Manero, dir. Pablo Larraín, Chile 2008, 98 mins

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