MICK MCSHANE is roused by a band whose socialism laces every line of every song with commitment and raw passion
Latest editorial
Stirring portrait of corruption
MARIA DUARTE recommends a gripping Spanish political thriller that will resonate with anybody interested in local politics
New releases from Mountain, Soul Asylum and Michael McDermott
ALEX HALL is disgusted by the misuse of ‘emotional narratives’ to justify uninformed geo-political prejudice
SUE TURNER welcomes a thoughtful, engaging book that lays bare the economic realities of global waste management
JOHN GREEN welcomes an insider account of the achievements and failures of the transition to democracy in Portugal
SIMON PARSONS applauds an imaginative and absorbing updating of Strindberg’s classic
PETER MASON is enthralled by an assembly of objects, ancient and modern, that have lain in the mud of London’s river
The Candidate (15)
Directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen
★★★★
THE corruption of power and greed at regional government level is put under the microscope in this scintillating and wonderfully gripping Spanish political thriller by Rodrigo Sorogoyen.
The themes and the characters in this exquisitely rich and complex drama, set in 2007, are sadly universal and will ring true almost anywhere.
The film opens with the lead protagonist Manuel (Antonio de la Torre) — Manu to his friends — on a sandy beach taking an important call as he looks out onto a glorious blue sea (the calm before the storm).
More from this author
MARIA DUARTE recommends a tough love story that unfolds among mental health issues, drug addiction and inadequate housing
The Star's critic MARIA DUARTE reviews Sebastian, Four Mothers, Restless, and The Most Precious of Cargoes
The Star's critic MARIA DUARTE recommends a drama that explores the formative years of Richard Burton’s life
The Star's critic MARIA DUARTE recommends a deliciously dark thriller that explores the complex loyalties within a marriage
