The King (2006) Movie Information:

The King (2006) Directed by: James Marsh The King (2006) Written by: Milo Addica The King (2006) Cast: Gael Garcia Bernal, Paul Dano, Laura Harring, William Hurt, Pell James

The King (2006) U.S. Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Films The King (2006) U.K. Distributor: Tartan Films

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The King (2006) Synopsis:

Elvis Valderez (Gael Garcia Bernal) is a twenty-one year old dreamer who has just been honorably discharged from the US Navy. With his duffle bag and rifle, he travels back to his hometown of Corpus Christi Texas, where he intends to seek out his father – a man he has only heard about from his Mexican mother, who has since passed away. Elvis quickly discovers that his father, David Sandow (William Hurt), is now the pastor of a thriving Baptist church, and has a family of his own - a beautiful wife, Twyla (Laura Harring), and two picture-perfect children, Malerie (Pell James) and Paul (Paul Dano). While seeking out his father at church, Elvis unwittingly strikes up a conversation with sixteen-year old Malerie and there’s an immediate, unspoken attraction between them. Elvis then waits for his father after church and follows him and his family to their suburban neighborhood, where he approaches David in front of their Norman Rockwell style home. The encounter is brief. David wants nothing to do with Elvis, who is an uncomfortable reminder of his own wayward past and a well-kept secret from his children and his parishioners. Rejected, Elvis resolves to leave this happy family to themselves. However, Elvis can’t shake the image of Malerie, his half sister, and can’t stop himself from befriending her. The relationship soon develops into something romantic and natural taboos are quickly discarded. Through his courtship of Malerie, Elvis begins to slowly infiltrate the family, thus setting the stage for the unleashing of violence and a tragedy of biblical proportions.

The King (2006) Movie Review:

There's an unnerving tone to this film that constantly threats to boil over into something deeply horrific. Marsh takes a clever approach to a controversial idea, but he never makes it terribly engaging.

Elvis (Bernal) is a young guy just out of the Navy who heads straight for Corpus Christi, Texas, to find his long-lost father David (Hurt), the pastor of a friendly fundamentalist congregation. Naturally, David's worried about his reputation, and doesn't want his wife (Harring) or teen kids (James and Dano) exposed to the result of his past sins. So Elvis worms his way into the family in other ways. And things get very creepy.

Marsh paints a bracingly authentic picture of conservative America, with its desperate need for everything to be orderly. Script, direction and performances keep the characters' feet on the ground; yes, they're goody-goodies, but they're not self-righteous about it. These are upstanding people who have locked away all thoughts of anything remotely shady. So Elvis' presence represents a real danger.

Hurt immerses himself in David, a man trying to do the right thing by everyone, even though he knows he's made--and he's making--some bad decisions. James is wonderfully inquisitive, indulging in things she knows she shouldn't be even thinking about. Dano's superbly upstanding young man and Harring's steely mom add subtext. And Bernal revisits his charismatic but subtly sinister stalker from Bad Education, but with a very different layer of moral complexity. It's like he's in denial just as much as the family.

There are overtones American Beauty and A History of Violence, as Marsh and Addica slice through the veneer of a "wholesome" society. The cliches are here (preacher's daughter falls for bad boy, anyone?), but they're played out with black twists and surprising inventiveness. This is subtle, inventive filmmaking that's only weakened by a subdued, slightly unfocussed narrative style and an underlying bleakness that keeps us from warming to anyone. We can guess where it's going, and we don't really want to follow. Still, it's a haunting film that really gets under our skin.

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The King (2006) review written by: Rich Cline