This picture entertains. The director/writer wanted to show us Argentina. He decided to do it according to what he read once...that the Tango was the Joy to be/of being Sad. In Spanish: "La Alegría de Estar Triste." The personalities in his story seem real and are all lovable. The leading actress is lovely and voices the fresh original tangos like a feminine Gardel. I was able to congratulate these two in the 2006 Fifty-Fifth International Film Week in Valladolid, Spain. Three other actors and the author of the music were present too, but I didn't see them. Not often can one thank the creators in person and with hugs and handshakes for their fulfilling work. I could have mentioned many high points of the film to them, but only said that I wish it were possible to meet the characters of the film as they were all special and I listened with enthusiasm so as not to miss a single word of their dialogues. The photography and the casting is exceptional too. I appreciated the many surprising "turns" in the film. And I don't want to signal out any character as all contributed to this good film.
5 Reviews
Heat in the city
jotix1005 February 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Hernan Gaffet's "Ciudad En Celo", a 2006 film from Argentina presents the viewer with a lot of ideas. Basically it is the story of a group of friends of a certain age who meet regularly in the Garlington bar, its name is a tribute to two of the owner's idols, Carlos Gardel of Argentina and Duke Ellington of the United States. In many ways the film kept reminding this viewer of a better made movie about the same theme: Wayne Wang's "Smoke" that takes place in a smoke shop in Brooklyn, with a screenplay by Paul Auster.
The action centers on three friends and Duke, the owner of the Garlington. Sergio, a writer, is seen spending his time on writing a screenplay. He sees the world passing by without making a contribution to either finishing his project, or changing anything he sees wrong. Marcos, is another friend always on the lookout for women. He is sometimes lucky, but most of the time, he spends idling away at the bar. Valeria, a voluptuous singer, has been involved with Sergio, now there does not seem they have much going on, but the memories of what they experienced once. The news of their friend's Sebastian's suicide weighs heavily on all of the friends. Duke, the owner, sees the changes around him, enduring the visit of a homeless woman, as well as an attempt of robbery in his bar.
The film does not maintain its momentum as there are some arid patches in the narrative which tend to get the viewer sidetracked when some things are unexplained. Director Hernan Gaffet shows some talent and one wished he added more humor to the text. The setting lends itself for a lot more, but one keeps waiting in vain for it to become a reality. What Mr. Gaffet gets is good ensemble playing from his cast.
The action centers on three friends and Duke, the owner of the Garlington. Sergio, a writer, is seen spending his time on writing a screenplay. He sees the world passing by without making a contribution to either finishing his project, or changing anything he sees wrong. Marcos, is another friend always on the lookout for women. He is sometimes lucky, but most of the time, he spends idling away at the bar. Valeria, a voluptuous singer, has been involved with Sergio, now there does not seem they have much going on, but the memories of what they experienced once. The news of their friend's Sebastian's suicide weighs heavily on all of the friends. Duke, the owner, sees the changes around him, enduring the visit of a homeless woman, as well as an attempt of robbery in his bar.
The film does not maintain its momentum as there are some arid patches in the narrative which tend to get the viewer sidetracked when some things are unexplained. Director Hernan Gaffet shows some talent and one wished he added more humor to the text. The setting lends itself for a lot more, but one keeps waiting in vain for it to become a reality. What Mr. Gaffet gets is good ensemble playing from his cast.
interesting effort, bad result
frauna13 September 2008
this is kind of 'european' movie that takes place in Argentina. A group of middle age friends use to meet each other in a café, and the 3 male characters are in love with the only female character, a tango singer. good movie? No. The singer has a good body, yes, and a long perfect neck, but completely empty eyes and no sex appeal or tenderness at all: it is hard to understand why 3 younger (younger than hers, at least) guys are in love with her for years and years. The script is interesting, but the actors (and director) fail: this is the kind of movie where the acting process is essential (the voice, that particular gaze, those fingers moving at the exact moment) because is a common story about common people. They are not awful, but they are not good, neither.
More than just a funny movie
cthompso6 October 2007
This is more than just another funny movie. It definitely is funny, and I laughed continually along with the rest of the audience from the opening sequence right up to the end. As I left the theater, I noticed people standing around and chatting about the movie and still laughing. The group I saw it with discussed it for nearly an hour. We relived lots of the funny parts but also pondered its serious dimensions. Its humor is a response to life's fragility and unpredictability. Like Trueba's Belle Epoque, it is a cinematographic carpe dieman invitation to pack as much joy as possible into a life that is absurd and fleeting. The humor is not black humor, however. It is joyful, although its joy is framed in darkness. Unlike Belle Epoque, whose historical setting makes its darkness less immediately apparent, Ciudad en celo is set in contemporary Buenos Aires and shows people coping with current situations. Its portrayal of Buenos Aires is touching and right on target. It captures the soul of the city. The movie is also visually and orally engaging. The tangos Dolores Sola sings are haunting. Other scenes make effective use of barely audible music. The camera work is excellent, as are all the performances. I am a big fan of Spanish and Latin American cinema and especially like Argentine movies. Although Spain has recently made some excellent comedies, the genre is underdeveloped in Latin America. This film is a welcome step toward filling the gap. I hope it starts a trend.
how not to make a movie
iandedobbeleer22 October 2007
Ciudad en Celo is one of the worst movies I've seen in the last years. It's wanting to be 'a weaving of stories about young people struggling with the hardship of getting older and the need to evaluate past life and love' never succeeds in being interesting. The main characters are flat and badly directed, the side characters plain ridiculous; the homeless woman for instance is nothing more than a characterization of stereotypes without any form of content or personality. Furthermore actors never play together. Story lines are highly cliché and almost none of them is worked out properly. A lot of what's happening gives reason to bring across emotion, yet the acting fails to reach the viewer. It's all just a hopeless attempt at making a movie. Only one role, the role of Duke, played by Claudio Rissi, stands out and manages to captivate. His heartfelt performance however contrasted sharply to everything else in this film.
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