Una noche con Sabrina Love

In Curuguazu, in the countryside of Argentina, the seventeen year-old Daniel Montero (Tomás Fonzi) has been raised by his grandmother for three years since the death of his parents in a car accident. Daniel has a boring life, working in a poultry processing plant and meeting his friends in the square for small talk. He saves some money from his salary and buys an old television, where he watches the late night show of the porn star Sabrina Love (Cecilia Roth). When Daniel wins a contest to spend one night with Sabina Love in Buenos Aires, he does not have the 50 pesos of the bus ticket and hitchhikes along 500 kilometers with truck drivers to the city. He is robbed on the road but arrives in Buenos Aires on Saturday morning, but the television postpones his meeting with Sabrina Love to Monday. Without any money, he visits his older brother Enrique (Fabián Vena) that left his hometown many years ago to study agronomy in Buenos Aires and does not know that his parents are deceased. Along the few days in the big city, Daniel discovers the truth about the secret life of Enrique; sex with Sabrina Love; and love with the independent journalist Sofia (Julieta Cardinali) returning a more self-confident teenager to Curuguazu.

"Una Noche con Sabrina Love" is a charming and delightful coming to age Argentinean tale totally different from the usually stupid American movies of this genre. This dramatic comedy of discoveries of a teenager that leaves the quiet town to spend three days in a big city is directed by Alejandro Agresti of "Valentin" and has Cecilia Roth in the role of a successful porn-star. The screenplay deserved some improvements, since there are sequences that are confused. For example, the shy attitude of Daniel when he visits Sofia in her apartment and does not have sex with her is unexplained; or why he does not tell his beloved brother that their parents have died; or why he is a compulsive liar. Anyway, this film is an enjoyable entertainment and was released on VHS in Brazil by Buena Vista Home Entertainment distributor. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Uma Noite com Sabrina Love" ("One Night with Sabrina Love")

Directed by Alejandro Agresti and based on the novel from 1998 of the same name by Pedro Mairal, Una noche con Sabrina Love is a coming-of-age that follows 17-year-old Daniel Montero (Tomás Fonzi) winning a contest to spend a night with Sabrina Love (Cecilia Roth), an adult film star he watches every night on television. Daniel lives in Curuguazú, Entre Rios, and will have to travel to Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, to claim his prize. In doing so, he finds himself the protagonist of his own adventure. Whether that is navigating the dangerous routes to la ciudad de la furia, where criminals abound, meeting people from all walks of life, or seeing his older brother again, an experience he will not forget awaits young Daniel.

Daniel cannot avoid being excited about his trip. As someone living in a small town with the prospect of working in a factory his whole life, his existence is characterized by being perfunctory and dull. His desire to be with Sabrina, coupled with his inexperience, serves as a platform for self-growth. His trip offers different encounters with characters that will teach him something.

Alejandro Agresti's feature offers the possibility to see Giancarlo Giannini, known for Hannibal (2001) and Casino Royale (2006), certainly the most famous actor of the cast, speaking Spanish and in a movie far away from the blockbusters he is known for. It also features Norma Aleandro, one of the strongest performances in the movie, and Julieta Cardinali as never seen before. Una noche con Sabrina Love, ultimately, has its moments and will definitely be of interest for those who like coming-of-age films.

I understand the sacrifice made in movies that are a result of adaptations from long novels where the screenwriter needs to cut down a lengthy book into a 120 pages script. It is important to keep the author's spirit and reflect it in the movie. Yet, there might be a scene that needs to be invented for the sake of cinematographic narrative. I don't understand though, the directors (or screenwriters) who feel they must add their own creative philosophical writing to a well rounded novel when this is not necessary. It does not add anything to the spirit of the book and the movie loses focus and direction. It feels patchy. The book, "A night with Sabrina Love" is concise, direct, modern, fresh, entertaining, it is always moving forward and very cinematographic in its nature. It reminds me for some reason I can't pinpoint, to J. D. Salinger, "The Catcher in the Rye". "A night with Sabrina Love" is a prize winning novel by the way. This movie is less than a mediocre adaptation. It feels old, slow paced, unfocused. Having read the book, I can only think of the director's lack of humility while writing the screenplay. Even though I like Alejandro Agresti's work, I feel he was not a good option to direct this movie. It is sad when these kind of things happen.

The film offers a glimpse into the life of a small town teenager: his routine, ideals, friends & family, and his ultimate fantasy. It also presents the striking differences in Argentina between its dominating capital (where about one third the population of this huge country lives & controls everything) and the rest of the country. Additionally, it is an excellent vehicle for Cecilia Roth (ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER), as the much-desired Sabrina Love.

Daniel Montero, a seventeen year old, he enjoys his nocturnal rite: to watch the program of the ultimate porn star. So, when he wins the contest to spend a night with Sabrina, he feels he has struck gold. Sabrina awaits him in her TV studio in Buenos Aires. Daniel starts his journey from the isolated town where he lives with his grandmother since his parents died. His life is boring; he has a disgusting job. In his journey, Daniel discovers the world and finds himself in a hazardous and eventful life, with a gallery of men helping him to grow through wisdom, and mischievous advice & lies, a young woman who seduces him, and of course Sabrina, her producers and her colleagues in the porn industry.

It's a fascinating look at many aspects of a teenager's life, and self-discovery in this new era in South America. Also for Ms. Roth, the international award-winning actress known for very heavy dramatic roles, this film is a complete about face. She proves to be just as adept in comedy as she is in drama.

This is a little snapshot of life in modern Argentina, telling a universal story: the encounters of a young man with the various faces of life, love, sex and death.

Daniel, a 17 year old boy, wins a letter writing contest and gets to spend one night with his idol, pornstar Sabrina Love. For this occasion he travels to Buenos Aires, where he stays at his brother's apartment until he settles a date with Sabrina.

This is somewhat of a roadmovie, moving from the Argentine country to the city and back. Daniel takes some important steps during this trip, which is portrayed in a very warm, sincere way. Even though it does not dig very deep, if you submit yourself to it, you can enjoy the Argentine scenery and the wonderful characters Daniel meets. At some points there have been made very harsh jumps in between scenes, due to lack of time or money (???) but don't let that spoil the fun.