User Reviews

"Lost Embrace (El Abrazo partido)" is like a modern Sholom Aleichem story set in a Yiddishkeit neighborhood of Buenos Aires that feels very much like NYC's Lower East Side.

Here, the village full of multi-generational eccentric characters is a small mall in the middle of the city where each of a variety of Jews and other immigrants is long familiar with and tolerant of the other's idiosyncrasies and mysteries.

As played by Daniel Hendler, Ariel is an adorable slacker who thinks the solution to his ennui is to become European but ends up searching this community for his full identity and heritage -- as a Jew, as a grandson of Polish immigrants, as a mother's son, as a son of a father in Israel, as a lover, a brother, friend and Argentinian. His loving relationship with his brightly henna-haired mother as he helps out at her lingerie shop is both unusually sweet and mature and a nice counter-point to how Jewish mothers are usually portrayed.

Co-writer/director Daniel Burman uses the midrashic technique of having each question asked by the central character answered by a story, with titles appearing on screen as chapter headings. Each story is open to Talmudic-like interpretation by the participants and leads to unexpected revelations. For example, the joke from "Fiddler in the Roof" of traders arguing about whether it was a mule or a donkey is here an ongoing feud about whether it was in pesos or dollars.

While his quest greatly impacts the others he questions as each makes important changes in habits, it is a bit confusing that the more Ariel gradually learns about his history and just how entwined he is in his community, the less he is able to assimilate it into his image of himself. He does seem to learn forgiveness or maybe at least tolerance and empathy, but the sum totaling of all the charming anecdotes is that he can accept eating a certain symbolic sandwich.

Ah, life goes on in this easy-going tale.

"Abrazo Partido" is one of the better Argentine films that have reached us. Not having a market in the USA, if they are not shown in a film festival, they are not seen at all. The director, Daniel Burman working on the screen play with Marcelo Birmajer, shows he is a talent to be reckoned with.

The movie presents us with a small mini mall that one encounters all over Buenos Aires. The story is about all the operators of the tiny shops in the complex, but focuses on the Makaroff family. Elias Creations is operated by Sonia, a woman whose husband has deserted her and the two small sons. Elias, the husband has gone to Israel to fight in one of the wars and never returned. His memory looms large, especially in the case of Ariel, who secretly loves him, but resent the abandonment of the family.

The camera work is incredible. The director gives us an excellent idea of the area of the neighborhood that at one time was dominated by the European Jews that emigrated to Argentina.

Daniel Hendler, does a wonderful job in portraying Ariel, the young man who wants to do just the opposite of what his family did: return to Poland. The family left the horrors of their country by settling in the friendly atmosphere that Argentina offered at the time. Now, during a difficult time, the grandson of the original family wants nothing of his precarious life. His dream is to try his fortune in Europe, Poland, only being the excuse for getting an European passport that only his grandmother can provide, having been born there.

Adriana Aizemberg plays the mother, Sonia. Ms. Aizemberg is wonderful as the mother who is so full of life and suddenly sees the world, as she knew it, coming apart. The grandmother, Rosita Londner, is also appealing.

A new talent emerges in Argentina.

A Jewish Argentinian young man, a little confused, a little depressing; a father that went away to Israel when he was a just a baby, a mother that seems to be living in a fantasy world, a polish grandmother who thinks that "there in Europe they want to kill all the jews", a brother who has sort of an export-import business in which he sells all kind of useless stuff, a lover married to an old man, a commercial gallery full of weirdos ... AND TONS OF Argentinian SARCASM!

Lively dialogues, the Argentinian verbal-diarrhoea which is present in every sequence, the innate naturalness of Argentinian actors, and a filming style pretty similar to latest north-European cinema, Von Trier, the DOGMA manifesto, and all that ... That's (maybe) the weakest point of "El Abrazo Partido": too much camera movement, so much that in some sequences it gets a little annoying. (I'm not very in favour on making a whole movie with the camera on your shoulder).

In short: a film about ordinary people, plenty of Argentinian sacastic humour.

My rate: 7/10

I thought this movie was a delightful surprise. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I was charmed and moved by the story of this young man searching for his identity when everyone and everything around him seems to dictate who he should be and how he should behave. It is funny and touching in the way real life is -- and all the characters of the movie are so real. I felt like watching a Woody Allen movie -- without the bourgeois New-Yorkers' concerns but with more humanity. Maybe the movie should have been less fearful of its characters' inner feelings -- sometimes the director chooses to just play for laughs when the storyline should go deeper within the emotions and contradictions of its characters. But all in all, it is a beautifully crafted piece of entertainment. Plus, it feels so good to watch a movie from a country that gives us so few occasions to travel in its cities via celluloid.

In Buenos Aires, the twenty and something years old Jewish-Argentinean Ariel Makaroff (Daniel Hendler) has quited the architecture university and spends his time wandering through the downtown gallery where his mother has a lingerie shop and his brother runs an importation business; shagging the owner of a little Internet business; and trying to get his Polish passport and move to Europe. Ariel has never understood why his father left him when he was a baby to fight in the Yom Kippur War in 1973. When his father returns to Buenos Aires, Ariel discovers the reason why his father left his family.

"El Abrazo Partido" is a disappointing little personal drama with uninteresting and dull characters and awful camera work. The lead character Ariel is an alienated shirker and his motivations in the story are never clear, since he does not study and has no work; no religion in spite of being Jewish; no sense of nationalism; no girlfriend (he left Estela without any reason); no respect or feelings for his family; no nothing but intercourse with the next door neighbor in the gallery Rita and an apparently interest in having an European passport. His mother, his grandmother, his brother, his father, the neighbors in the gallery, none of these characters is interesting. The style partially recalls the Danish filmmaker movement Dogma 95, since the movie is done on the location; with ambient sound; use of hand-held camera; colored with no use of filters; very realistic plot; etc. However, the hand-held camera work is awful, recalling "The Blair Witch Project" or "Cloverfield" and the division in parts with subtitles seems to be a pretentious trial of intellectual style. But the acting is great and my vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "O Abraço Partido" ("The Broken Hug")

"Abrazo partido" is a very subtle, true to life story about the middle classes in Buenos Aires after the economic crisis 2001. Those that have been to Argentina will undoubtedly recognize some of the beautifully stereotyped protagonists: the melancholic youngster, the budding bric-a-brac entrepreneur, the disillusioned pensioners recalling Argentina's glory days, the disrespected immigrant labourer. These characters make this idiosyncratic country, and indeed this movie, so likeable. Even the people's underlying optimism and the love for their country, which -in the light of Argentina's demise- may surprise visitors, shines through. I highly recommend the movie 9/10.

Actually I'm from Lithuania and I was interested in this film, because from the film synopsis and credits I have learned that it shows lives of Eastern European immigrants in Argentina and Lithuania belongs to Eastern Europe. Maybe you don't know, but in first part of XX century there was big flow of emigration from Lithuania to South America. So I was very surprised, when I saw girl from Lithuania in film speaking ... Russian when film credits indicate that she is speaking ... Lithuanian. Next thing, her name is Vilna and there is no such Lithuanian name. Perhaps it was made up from name of Lithuanian capital Vilnius or misspelled from Vilma. In America, especially USA, people from Lithuania are regarded as being Russians, and for Lithuanians who were occupied bu Soviet Union it is an insult, but it does not relieve director or script writer from responsibility to check about subject depicted. Especially when film pretends to be in reality style. Cinematogapyhy and storyline is good, I do not argue, but poor analysis of the details casts doubt about reality value of this film and its pretensions to social criticism.

I have seen the movie several times now, and keep loving the very porteño lines, the perfect way in which the filmmaker captures the unique setting of Once (and a little of Abasto), as well as the tone of 2002/2003 there in Buenos Aires. The delicate portrayals of emotion and spirit are heart-rending and hilarious together. For anyone who knows Buenos Aires beyond the bullshit vended to you by some tourism operator, this film will delight you. It also has enough appeal and quirkiness to charm broader audiences that have some curiosity about slice-of-life films from elsewhere. If you have seen Berman's film "Esperando al Mesías," many people will look familiar in this movie, but it's only the actors, not the characters who are the same, and even though only a few. Like that other movie, there is also much emphasis on Argentine Jewish everyday life, but not in a way that is insular at all -- bringing in, instead, the rest of life that can combine effortlessly or create the conflicts and commotions that keep life and culture vibrant. Berman also seems to show a strength across his movies in grappling with the importance of longer-standing histories in their very simple, quotidian upcroppings. In all, an excellent film by an excellent filmmaker.

Abrazo partido is an easy and enjoyable movie to watch. Ariel Makaroff is searching for information about his absent father in order to obtain a Polish passport so that he can leave Buenos Aires and travel to Europe. He comes to discover things about his past that change how he views his relationships in the present.

The filming is interesting in that it is very shaky and a bit frustrating at times because the viewer doesn't always get a clear picture of what is going on in the scene. The actors did a good job fulfilling the stereotypes that each of their characters were supposed to portray.

The thing that I liked most about this movie was how authentic the characters seemed. It was as if I had entered into the world of the galería and was able to meet everyone; I felt more connected learning about their personalities and little quirks. The introduction was genuine and helped to make the characters more easy to relate to.

do you think your town is the only cosmopolitan place on earth? do you have issues with your mom? has your dad been absent for some time? is your brother a loser?

this portrait of a man in crisis is funnily descriptive, sharply accurate and surprisingly moving. I just loved it! excellent camera, screenplay, direction and acting. the leads are outstanding and the secondaries superb.

Daniel Burman and Daniel Hendler have reached the perfect timing to expose contemporary idiosyncrasy in the finest shape.

hats off!

Abrazo Partido (Lost Embrace) is a beautiful portrayal of the inner workings of a community of minorities in Buenos Aires. Each has a specific store in the galería and the audience watches as the story of each person is played out before the eyes of Ariel Makaroff, the protagonist. Ariel is struggling with the absence of his father and is seeking to fill that void with his Polish heritage and hopes of a fortune-filled future in Europe. The filming style is unique; with many scenes being seen over the shoulder of a character but the story is well presented. The director, Daniel Burman, captures the Makaroff family and how their stories intertwine with those of the other people working in the galleria. It is a heart-warming story that is applicable in some way to every audience. The authenticity of the characters and the reality of the situations they each encounter adds to the universality of the plot.

I don't like Daniel Burman's movies. I don't recommend them. I solve my prejudice with this one. This movie is agile, simple and effective. This movie has a very good second part and increases the level towards the end.

The film tells the story of Ariel Makaroff (Daniel Hendler), Jewish, late twenties with a mentality of a teenager. He runs from one place to another and he his idea consists in going abroad with Polish documents. He is running from the crisis of the country and all the people seems to have no brain. His father left him when he was a baby to go to war. Apparently his father went abroad for a different reason that Ariel will find out towards the second part of the movie. Simple plot, great ending.

Performances are very good with an Oscar for Adriana Aizemberg who plays the role of the mother. I would like to thank Burman for solving my prejudice. A well received award in Berlin. I give this movie a 9 out of 10. Andrés.

Ariel Makaroff is a young Argentine man who has left the university and spends his time around his mother's lingerie shop in a mall. The whole time he bums around, his mind is set on getting a passport and moving to Poland, from where his family moved many years ago. The movie has a very simple and comedic plot line which involves Ariel and all the people he encounters in any given day. Throughout the movie, Daniel Burman makes it clear that running is a motif which is very present. We observe Ariel running in at least three separate scenes, each representing his discomfort with certain situations and his inability to cope with certain truths. Apart from this artistic touch, the director includes different cinematographic techniques involving the camera which make the production a lot more respectable. These techniques intertwine fabulously with the clever and witty story which he tells by way of the many different secondary characters which surround Ariel. The film also has several twists which are completely unexpected and which add much humor and spontaneity to the story, making it more enjoyable for the audience.

It seems the «Jewish experience» —that is, being of Jewish origins, and living "jewishly" according to this or that dogma— varies from country to country very much. I was born in a country (Panama) where almost all Jewish persons are economically powerful, do not mix with the average citizen, and live mostly for themselves behind tightly-closed walls. There are, of course, exceptions; but I had to travel abroad to have a different experience, even to have Jewish friends and lovers, and discover that not all are so closed to the humanity living close to them, as many that I have met in Panama. When I saw "El abrazo partido", one of the most endearing Latin American films that I had seen in years —besides another beautiful Argentine film called "El perro", announcing what was just about to come: a long list of new, remarkable filmmakers as Lucrecia Martel, Israel Adrián Caetano, Lisandro Alonso, and many others—, I was very well impressed and happy to see this different side of what it is to be a Jewish person in Latin America, because I could identify very much with them. Most of the times the cinematic Jewish experience comes from American filmmakers, and they keep on telling the same stories, or give them the same approach (exceptions admitted). For instance, with the weight world cinema has given to the Jewish drama during Second World War —and I am not by any means diminishing it—, I loved to see normal, beautiful people leading their everyday life in this motion picture, directed with both the brain and the heart, with top performances by Daniel Hendler, Adriana Aizemberg, Jorge D'Elía, and Rosita Londner as the grandmother, as well as all the supporting players. I can't explain how people can reduce the value of a motion picture, just because a few of the shots were not done with a tripod! Where have they been all these years? Camera movements were even very popular in the 70s. A movement done with the camera on the operator's shoulder, has a strong, different value to another one done with a steadicam! A very good movie, just as good as those I have enjoyed, done by sensible filmmakers from Israel that have shown me the best parts of their culture.

This hilarious Argentinean comedy is impressively realistic in its incorporation of a hand-held shaky-cam, conversational dialogue, and individual personalities for every single character. The rich and diverse cast of characters immerses us in this entertaining subculture. It's also really funny – the attitudes and witty banters are universally appreciable, legitimately making me laugh out loud several times. But, on the other hand, The Lost Embrace also tackles serious issues like cultural identity, family relationships, forgiveness, and regret. We can identify with the lead character, despite his flaws and sometimes-arrogant attitude, because he deals with many of the same struggles we do. This gritty, smart-alec, and hilarious yet emotionally challenging movie is very worth watching, and might be my favorite movie to come out of Argentina yet!

This slice of life is set on the old commercial neighborhood of Once in Buenos Aires, right after Argentina's economic crisis of 2001. Set mostly among the Jewish community in the neighborhood (though members of other communities, like Bolivians and Koreans, also appear), the main protagonist is Ariel Makaroff, a twenty something guy, who helps his mother run a lingerie shop in a galeria (that is, a very seedy and shabby department store). His father having emigrated to Israel years ago to fight one of the wars there, Ariel longs to emigrate to the developed world, specifically Poland, ironically from where his grandmother escaped sixty years ago because of antisemitism. To impress the Polish consul in order to get the passport, the Jewish man tries to name several famous Poles, but can only come up with the (then) Pope. This movie tries to paint the life of a middle class whose dreams of upscale progress became shattered after recurrent economic crisis, but it ends up being less interesting than it should be; still, a not totally bad effort.

This is one of those warm, funny little movies that make you laugh, cry and everything in between. The relationships between these characters, who are barely holding it together while their world falls apart, is really touching. The diversity of this group of immigrants sharing a "galería" - a kind of commercial space that filled the streets of Buenos Aires before the arrival of the shopping malls - certainly adds interest and make all these great character actors shine. Even though the theme and mood are quite different, it reminds me of another little movie that really touched me, "Walk on Water." When in doubt...go see both!

This movie was very intricate, to the point that I was confused at times, especially in the beginning. There was very little use of music also, which made the majority of the movie feel empty in a way. I think that it perfectly paralleled Ariel's feelings toward his estranged father. He felt a lot of animosity toward his father because it seemed like he left Ariel and his mother without a valid reason. Since Ariel was the main character in this film, it caused the viewers to take his side, and sympathize with him. That is why I found myself feeling hatred toward his father as well, and when he appeared at the race, I felt that something terrible was going to happen since I viewed him as a bad guy. This opinion of him was formed too prematurely, and at the end when I discovered the truth about Ariel's father, I felt remorseful. It is definitely important to keep an open mind when you are watching the movie, especially for the first time.