The Accused - Acusada

The Accused follows a young 21-year-old student, Dolores Dreier (Lali Esposito), accused of murdering her best friend at a house party where she was the last one to see her alive. Under virtual house arrest for two and a half years, Dolores becomes increasingly frustrated and angry by the physical limitations imposed on her life by her family.

Set in contemporary suburban Buenos Aires just days away from her trial, which has become a high-profile case intently followed by the Argentine media, Dolores is strictly coached by her lawyer and parents, and her freedom of movement restricted to avoid media attention while preparing for the trial.

This intense drama is clinically shot with cold icy blue tones and intimate camera work that reflect the dark mood of Dolores who is portrayed unsympathetically at times and seems quietly distant as if hiding some unspoken secret.

Lali Esposito as Dolores gives a gripping subdued performance as an embittered teenager preparing for the worst, making her seem less innocent and more ambiguous than her family would like. But she remains a compelling character due to Lali’s empathetic portrayal and the film succeeds in keeping us guessing about her innocence.

Public opinion seems stacked against her as the media scrutinizes her and her upper-class wealthy family. The media circus surrounding the murder case and how the family deals with their daughter’s public perception is the main focus of the film and the financial and psychological toll it takes on the family.

As the day of the trial draws closer, the tension increases as we slowly discover that her father Luis (Leonardo Sbaraglia), has used his considerable wealth to protect his daughter and influence public opinion to defend her.

There is a lot at stake for Luis, his family and his career as the pressure mounts and Dolores becomes more unstable. It eventually becomes too much for her to handle and she decides to take a big risk by going off script and greatly jeopardizing her chances.

Director Gonzalo Tobal skillfully focuses our attention with a stunning mix of darkly alluring cinematography, interesting ambiguous characters, brilliant performances and a captivating story. 

The Accused also touches on modern day issues of cyber bullying, media manipulation and public scrutiny. Dolores’ guilt or innocence is always kept a mystery in the film but it becomes less important whether she has committed the crime or not as the film becomes more about manipulating public opinion to blur the truth.

The media at one point is focused on someone’s claim of a loose wild Puma sighting in the suburban neighborhood and as police investigate, the media attention stokes a frenzy in the public, but whether or not this Puma was ever really seen or not becomes unimportant. The mere possibility is what fuels people’s imagination and becomes a kind of metaphor for the situation Dolores finds herself in.

The Accused is a satisfying and poignant drama well made with an assured hand, perfectly cast and with a stunning visual design making director Gonzalo Tobal one of Argentina’s foremost filmmakers to pay attention to.

JP