User Reviews

Julian Lamar is an actor whom we meet during a play where he is appearing. It is obvious the type of fare that is more suited for Off-Off-Broadway than for the commercial venues. Julian, like all actors, must do whatever in order to survive in his chosen world. While acting on the stage, he is also seen while working in a film being shot in Buenos Aires.

Julian is a strange man. He is a loner whose thoughts about the world he lives in is the basis of this story. Julian has a thing about his fellow actors as he compares them to himself. There is a certain degree of envy when he realizes Alonso, who plays the lead in the film being shot, gets parts where he has also auditioned for. His father is a strange man who praises other performers but has not an encouraging word for his own son.

"Vaquero" is a film that examines that rarefied world of show business with its rivalries and dramas away from the stage. Juan Minujin is making his film debut with this feature. We had seen him in "Epitaphs", and "A Year Without Love" before. He is a talented actor with an interesting face. Working with his own material he gives the viewer the feeling he knows the world he presents of endless waiting between takes, the boredom of making films, the castings that do not produce the results expected and blowing the one important occasion that might serve to be recognized in a big production. Juan's sexual life is dominated by his solitary viewing of porn and fails to perform with the one woman that really liked him.

As expected, Juan Minujin tailor made the picture to showcase his talents. He does an honest job in presenting that milieu as he sees it, perhaps verbalizing his own experiences. He is helped by Leonardo Sbaraglia a good actor who probably appeared as a favor to Mr. Minujin. Great appearance by Pilar Gamboa who keeps getting better and better in every new film she appears. Also in supporting roles Guillermo Arengo, Daniel Fanego and the beautiful Esmeralda Mitre.

The film is shot in dart tones by cinematographer Lucio Bonelli. One wishes Juan Minujin success in his new endeavors.

Director and script writer Juan Minujin plays the lead role too and he is in almost every scene. The lines he has written for his character are bitter and devoid of any hint of humor. We frequently listen to his inner thoughts, which are pretty uncomfortable, and he seems to have a low esteem of himself and of almost everybody around him. Most of what he is shown doing is pathetic, from having other actors steal scenes from him on the stage and receiving left handed compliments from his father to awkwardly auditioning for a part in an American movie in halting English. Minujin is a good actor but after few minutes I found it hard to keep an interest in his character's activities.

The excellent Leonardo Sbaraglia appears in a few scenes (probably as a favor for the director) but has not much to do and doesn't seem to be very interested in the proceedings.

On the positive side, Minujin directs smoothly and acting is good all around, as are production values. The movie bears watching, but leaves a biter taste in your mouth. Maybe this was Minujin's intention all along.