Castro (Alejo Moguillansky, 2009): Argentina

Reviewed by Conner Emery. Viewed at AFI Fest 2009.

As I entered (not surprisingly) Mann’s Theater 1, I couldn’t help but worry that I had seen all there was to see. I mean, after brilliant after brilliant after brilliant film, the films began to seem, and it pains me to say it, mediocre. After a while, greatness becomes the norm and you really want nothing more than to find something that matches, and quite frankly, surpasses everything you once thought great. And then came Castro, with it’s home movie quality film (albeit in 16:9 formatting) and terribly inane plot, you would have thought that this would be it, the movie that finally broke all the greatness that had come before it and left me feeling cold. And yet I left with a feeling that was nothing short of miraculous.

So this is the point where I’d sum up the plot. However this is all you need to know: Castro (Alberto Suarez) is on the run. Why is he on the run? Well, it’s never made clear. At the beginning it was implied that his wife (who he calls his ex to his current girlfriend) was the one in charge, but we later find out she’s not even top rung. The story is that Castro has fallen in love with Celia (Carla Crespo), his girlfriend, who threatens to leave him if he doesn’t get a job. Since he’s on the run, the only one suitable for him would be something with a lot of moving. This search takes up most of the movie.

So what made Castro so great? The dialog is fast and extremely bizarre. I’d say witty, but the only way it was witty was in the way it was delivered. Every character seems to have one huge quirk that stops them from achieving what they want. These quirks and the way they’re  sometimes forced into the forefront add for some sublime humor, the best being the chase of a handicapped spy, who was sent to watch Castro, after he accidentally gets caught. Each character has a distinct and dramatic personality that really helps bring out the potential of all the characters.

The best thing about the movie though, is how literally everything is taken. When they say Castro is on the run, he and every other character are actually running through most of the movie. It adds the almost sophisticated slapstick feel to the film that really pushes the humor to a whole new level. Of all the films I saw, this was the one that stood out. While so many films pushed the limits of what could be shown, the more tone-downed approach was almost unheard of, and it really made this film stick. If and when it comes around, there’s no doubt in my mind that you should pick up a ticket right away, this film deserves all the attention it can get.

Check out the trailer here for a feel of what the movie is about, even though this version doesn’t include subtitles.