Errante corazón

This is a very niche psychological drama film that I also chose to watch because I had seen Plata quemada, another film by star Leonardo Sbaraglia. The film tells the story of a middle-aged gay man finding himself in the midst of a chaotic life. The first scene of the film is in a bar where a drunk man's conversation with Santiago sets up the entire thrust of the film, 'I'm not a bad guy. I don't want to be alone, but I'm just looking for true love, I don't know what to do, there's no one waiting for me at home, I'm like a dead man.' The mid-life crisis leaves Santiago, the protagonist, feeling anxious and upset, age, sex life, ex boyfriend, kid, life seems to hit Santiago on all fronts, which makes Santiago start to think, what does he really want?

Two events in the film completely shatter Santiago, the first being when Santiago comes home from a party and finds himself locking his daughter in the house. One of his daughter's lines hurts Santiago even more, 'The only thing you ever did right was to be with Luis (Santiago's ex), and now he's gone too.' The second incident was when Santiago drove to his ex's house one day with his family, yet his ex didn't know. That night, Santiago was stoned and Luis was woken up by an argument and one line that stung Santiago's heart, 'You don't love anyone, you can't even stand yourself! You're pathetic!'

The climax of the whole play comes during the New Year's Eve dinner. The daughter can't stand the escapism and unreliability of her parents, so they all argue with each other at the dinner table under the influence of alcohol. The script actually has some depth by this point, but the pacing doesn't do a good job of building up to that depth; the succession of pain overwhelms Santiago, and the audience wonders at this point when the bubble will sink to the bottom of the ocean. The film ends with Santiago's best friend telling him, 'You can't keep thinking about how it would have been better in the beginning, or what it's going to be like in the future. You have to think about how it is now and live in the moment.' Santiago then dials his daughter's number to say goodbye and speak from the heart... End of the movie.

If middle-aged people cannot control and wrap up their desires well, the result may be like Satiago's life, unable to find the fulcrum of life, because of the inability to live in peace, the kind of life at the same time with scars, loneliness, wandering, confused appearance is really unbearable to look at. If this film can bring what kind of inspiration to middle-aged people, I think it is: songs can be listened to over and over again, films can be enjoyed over and over again, but one's life must not be randomly examined behind, one's usual inertia of life should not be easily denied or changed, because these are the basic structure that supports your existing life.

The director of the film is a newcomer, and I wouldn't have noticed the film if it weren't for the lead actor. The narrative pace of the film is so slow that the audience ends up not wanting to care about what will happen to Santiago at the end. So, if you're not a fan of Leonardo Sbaraglia or psychological drama, I wouldn't recommend it.

There are tones and tones of coming-of-age gay films; not quite as many about older gays though. Now that I am myself entering middle age, I tend to look around for and want some more films with older gay guys and their issues too. And here is one.

Santiago shouldn't have much to complain about his life. He is still handsome and charming, has successful bar/restaurant, has a bit wild but talented daughter.

We don't clearly know why he should be so unhappy with himself, but clearly he can't stand a moment on his own and constantly has to throw himself to spontaneous mischieves and hangs onto people around him for their love and attention, whispering his love for them and promises he won't keep. I feel for his poor crazy daughter having to deal with her man-child father, who needs her more than she needs him.

It is a all around well-made film. It's just we get to see plenty of Santiago's wandering and angst, but never quite why he should be what he is.

I enjoyed it in any case for, if nothing else, Sbaraglia's charming presence.

Santiago's life was already tottering presumably from his break up with Luis. We see him returning home after a debauched night to the daughter he had carelessly locked indoors causing her to miss an important engagement. Resentful at first, we see that fundamentally they have a good relationship as they chase each other round the room.

The relationship with mum the bolter is more fractious for both daughter and ex husband. A visit to her in Brazil seems to break the relationship completely.

Santiago seeks to go backwards to the comfort of his previous lives but others have moved on. Instead of knuckling down, he spirals deeper into self-destructive actions. Drink, drugs and indiscriminate sex with guys he just met become his panacea to escape what he feels is a terrible life. Except his life is a good one. He has a job he loves, earns money, has a lovely daughter, inspires loyalty in his employees, has friends. But it's not enough; he's on the hunt for more.

It's clear that there needs to be a make or break point. It comes near the end of the film when Laila embarks to Montreal. He was frightened of her going but it represents new freedoms and opportunities for both of them.

I watched the whole hour and fifty minutes of this film without looking once at the time. It had me hooked from beginning to end. I really do recommend it.

Summary

There is something that is not quite clear in Leonardo Brzezicki's film, in a story that begins as in media res about a drift that is pure crisis, but crisis due to what? Perhaps it is about immersing ourselves in the confused point of view of its protagonist, who is driven by pure impulse, during a year-end parties they exacerbate the need for balance sheets.

Of which there is no doubt, is the extraordinary performance of Leonardo Sabaraglia, full of nuances and in which he literally puts the body, in a film that, ironically, does not finish painting its protagonist adequately, leaving everything in the hands of the emotions that transmits.

Review:

A few days at the end of the year in the middle-aged affective crisis of Santiago (Leonardo Sbaraglia), seeking to strengthen his ties and redefine others.

There is something that is not quite clear in Leonardo Brzezicki's film, in a story that begins as in media res about a drift that is pure crisis, but crisis due to what? Perhaps it is about immersing ourselves in the confused point of view of its protagonist, who is driven by pure impulse, during a year-end parties that exacerbate the need for balance sheets.

The film begins with Santiago at a gay party at the home of Federico, a Spanish friend (Iván González). Does the director intend to refer to this type of free sexuality gathering as a debatable indicator of an empty and aimless life?

Santiago carries out the paternity of Laila alone, a teenage daughter (Miranda de la Serna; young Argentine actors have serious diction problems), who has just finished high school and with whom he has a sometimes conflictive relationship. Neither has his link with his ex Luis (Alberto Ajaka) fully resolved for him. Professionally, he is doing well (in front of an elegant restaurant that he manages with solvency and firmness), denoting a high socioeconomic level. Clearly, the discomfort does not come around here.

Santiago imposes himself (suddenly?) to love and be loved again, pouncing on his available links, current and past, acting out of sheer impulse and with little introspection. There are elements of drift stories in the story and in Brzezicki's urgent staging that recall some Anahí Berneri's films, but without achieving his psychological depth or forcing a little comparison, with the French film The Wounded Man.

That the film is a co-production adds a forced (and unintentionally comic) diversity to link to a story where there is a Spanish friend, a Spanish ex-wife who lives in Brazil and possible Chilean and Brazilian romantic and sexual interests.

Of which there is no doubt, is the extraordinary performance of Leonardo Sabaraglia, full of nuances and in which he literally puts the body, in a film that, ironically, does not finish painting its protagonist, leaving everything in the hands of the emotions that transmits.

Sbaraglia is good as always. It's in the screenplay and many supporting cast where the movie suffers. The premise is clear in the first 20 minutes, yet we need to see Santiago partying his demons away for almost the entirety of the film.

The film's rhythm improves when the action takes place in Brasil, even Miranda de la Serna (the daughter, Leila) gets a good moment at a dinner party just before they ask her to act erratic, once again. The acting is simply not that good during these "dramatic" moments (and there are many).

If you have the time, give it a try. I think you might find something interesting in it but, at the same time, I wouldn't ask you to run and watch it. Nothing new was said.