El bonaerense

i was pleasantly surprised by this movie at a recent film festival screening. most of it is deadpan, jarmusch-like slice-of-life comedy, but moments of senseless violence pop up unexpectedly.

it's the story of a small-time hood who's sent by his well-connected uncle to join the buenos aires police, which is depicted as, pretty much, a small time crime family with uniforms.

the offbeat story is matched by the offbeat story-telling, which keeps you guessing every step of the way. the cinematography and music are also top notch, which contributes to the film's tangible, sweat-soaked atmosphere.

i'm not sure what it all adds up to, but an intelligent and well-made movie which never bores is no small feat.

A criminally inclined locksmith is caught on the job, so he is given two choices, jail or join the police force. His uncle is a high ranking police officer who can get him out of his predicament.

He's a bit too old and not the sharpest tool in the box, but he manages to pass basic training and is sent to a poor barrio in Buenos Aires where he manages to learn 'on the job' it is a story that comes full circle for him as it does for us.

Entertaining and full of grim, black humour. If you like your comedy heavy and dark then you will like this film.

It has taken three years for Pablo Trapero to bring forward his second film, but it seems that time was not wasted. Much more refined and subtle than his first film ("Mundo Grúa" or crane world), he presents us the story of young, confused rural man who is forced to become a policeman after being involved in minor burglary. We witness his journey to Buenos Aires, his time as a trainee, his romance with an older teacher and his first encounters with the outlaws. The film does not aim at showing how the police force works but to tell the story of a man; we should not take the film as an intent to portray the corruption of policemen in Argentina or as criticism towards these men. I think the intention was to focus on Zapa´s story and take a look at policemen and at the social realities from his particular point of view. Performances are limited but correct, the images the movie produces are extraordinary and the "cumbia" music (a kind of salsa mixed with african percussion) generates a perfect ambience for the story told. I strongly recommend this film, perhaps one of the best argentine films of the last decade.

A cop's life in Argentina.. AND, that of a cop who's not even a cop! Sounds interesting, doesn't it? Well, it kind of is.. The story and the acting are not too bad. But unfortunately the movie suffers from the typical lacking of most Argentine movies: It doesn't have a twist. I think the rather weak screenplay is to blame. With this story and these actors, a much better movie could have been made. Plot, screenplay, story, etc.. Those concepts must be well-knit (or at least each handled properly) in order to make a flawless movie. That's where El Bonaerense fails. Something is sooo missing! I'm not sure what exactly, but something for sure. So I can't say it's quite rewarding. Tries hard, but doesn't really deliver. Nevertheless, it's watchable, and quite an interesting insight on Argentina and its police force in general. I would recommend watching it if it's not going to cost you too much. But if you're planning to add one more item to your DVD archive, buy something else with your money to add to your collection, and just RENT this very one to watch once.

This is one of those films that doesn't exactly have a strong storyline but is enjoyable enough. Some good acting performances help move the film along.