The King

An unflinching and at times disturbing look at cause and effect, 'The King' is an oddly satisfying experience to be had. It takes you on a journey, from an unsuspecting state that descends so deeply into evil there's no turning... Full review

Possibly the gentlest movie about incest and murder ever made. Gael García Bernal stars as Elvis, a man who has just been released from the Navy. He has no one, so he seeks out his father, a man whom he... Full review

Hard to recommend, or enjoy, this film due to its unlikable subject matter; incest, betrayal, hatred, religious fervor, murder, and isolation are some of the more disturbing themes examined in THE KING.Yet I did find myself enraptured with it, and... Full review

The reviews I read prior to seeing "The King" seemed to fault Gael Garcia Bernal's performance for not being "dark" enough. In most portrayals of this sort, the main character is supposed to chill the viewer to the bone by... Full review

The King is independent film-making through and through - stark camera work, intense plot, and no schlocky Hollywood moralizing. This is writer/director James Marsh's first feature, and it's a stunning accomplishment of visual and psychological suspense. Gael Garcia Bernal's performance makes... Full review

Just saw this film as part of the Seattle International Film Festival and I found it very well made. I go to plenty of festival films and most are truly dreck. This was a nice surprise. While the story goes... Full review

This is a nasty piece of work. It's also an impressive piece of work, a sour and cynical dark comedy of a twisted kind of Americana by the young British director James Marsh, making his feature film debut. Elvis, (Gael... Full review

Gael Garcia Bernal has a knack of choosing roles that really challenge the viewer (Bad Education, And your mother too come to mind) and his role in The King is no exception. Superb performances from all the leads that left... Full review

Thank you Director and Producer (specifically you guys because I saw your Q&A after the movie in Austin)! Thank you for not saturating this with the standard dark moody music to match every scene's tempo! The music in this movie... Full review

I loved this film. It has an ingenious plot with several more or less unexpected twists. Religion and guilt are major themes in the film; themes that I felt were examined with a seldomly seen open mindedness. The acting is... Full review

The problem may partly lie in the long takes and "complete freedom" given the actors in matters of wardrobe and personal style in the oppressive location-shooting heat, for everyone is going a different way, or no way. Even more fatal, García Bernal is expressionless, so cold that no thought or emotion registers on his face, not now or later when Paul spies the seducer on their lawn and tracks him to an emotionless fatal confrontation. ... Full Review

Bernal has a way of seeming comfortably nervous, twiddling his fingertips or struggling to remove a cowboy boot, but all the while in total control. Even more puzzling and intriguing than anything else in the film is its ending; it clocks out with a question, unanswered, a plea for forgiveness. ... Full Review

As for the real monster of the piece, Bernal is entirely convincing and not as hateful as a less charismatic actor might've been. It's a credit to the script, as well as to William Hurt's fine, multi-layered performance, that David ends up being so sympathetic, especially after an initial harshness that hints of something more monstrous. ... Full Review

The King" confuses sweetness and violence in ways that seem as desperate as some of the characters. The first few scenes of ``The King" tease us into hoping Bernal might be more than his pretty face -- or that he'll be using it to a good end. ... Full Review

Marsh and Addica refrain from trumping up the menace; instead, "The King" draws its feeling of dread from a profound and pervasive ambivalence. The King' MPAA rating: R for strong sexual activity involving a teen, some violence and language. ... Full Review

Its 6.30pm on a cold late January evening in Brooklyn, New York, and theres yesterdays snow turned to slush outside the window of his bedroom. ... Full Article

It has something to do with the fact that Elvis is the bastard son of a successful minister, Pastor David Sandow (William Hurt of A History of Violence). ... Full Article

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... ... Full Article

Gael Garcia Bernal: They just called me when I was in the middle of doing "The Motorcycle Diaries."And then they sent me the script, and-oh, it's beautiful. ... Full Article

'King' Enthroned: Gael Garca Bernal starrer The King , which shot in Austin and Corpus Christi, has been picked up by red-hot indie distributor THINKFilm. ... Full Article