The Mole Agent
An elderly amateur detective enters a Chilean retirement home undercover and discovers that human connection matters as much as the investigation.
Overview
A poignant exploration of aging and the hidden truths within care facilities.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- tender
- witty
- poignant
- quiet evening
- documentary night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the documentary as warm, funny, compassionate, and poignantly attentive to the loneliness and dignity of elders.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Sergio Chamy is recruited to pose as a mole inside a retirement home while investigating suspected elder abuse.
The retirement-home residents are portrayed through affectionate, often funny interactions alongside reminders of societal neglect.
Its investigation brings attention to residents' loneliness, relationships, and treatment by caretakers.
The mole assignment becomes increasingly shaped by the personal connections Chamy forms with residents.
Films like The Mole Agent, and why
Stories We Tell
observational documentary filmmaking, humane attention to aging, and tender social critique
Minding the Gap
warm observational portraiture and emotionally layered examination of overlooked lives
Dick Johnson Is Dead
compassionate documentary treatment of institutional care, aging, and human connection
The Gleaners and I
intimate social documentary centered on vulnerable people and understated emotional discovery
Movie Details
- Director
- Maite Alberdi
- Release Date
- 2020-12-11
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Rating
- 7.8 / 10 (267)
Cast
- Sergio Chamy
- Rómulo Aitken
- Marta Olivares
- Berta Ureta
- Zoila González
- Petronila Abarca
- Rubira Olivares
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Mole Agent about?
- An elderly amateur detective enters a Chilean retirement home undercover and discovers that human connection matters as much as the investigation.
- What is The Mole Agent like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Mole Agent as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Mole Agent violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Mole Agent.
- What did critics think of The Mole Agent?
- Critics broadly praised the documentary as warm, funny, compassionate, and poignantly attentive to the loneliness and dignity of elders.
- Which films are like The Mole Agent?
- Films with a similar feel include Stories We Tell, Minding the Gap, Dick Johnson Is Dead, and The Gleaners and I.
- How long is The Mole Agent?
- The Mole Agent runs 90 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Mole Agent?
- In United States, The Mole Agent is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
