Vengo

A family feud involving honor and integrity is at the center of this intriguing film directed by Tony Gatlif. We are taken to meet Caco, a man that is being threatened by an opposing clan because his brother Mario killed one of the Caracava men, something that will not be forgotten until justice is done. Since Mario is hiding in Morocco, Caco is a marked man because he represents his brother, the assassin.

Caco, is a man who loves his nephew Diego, that suffers from cerebral palsy. Diego, who is Mario's son, enjoys women like other normal young men his own age. Caco takes care for Diego to have a discreet encounter with a beautiful prostitute, la Catalana. Caco learns how the Caracavas are vowing to avenge their dead brother by sacrificing Diego.

"Vengo" mixes the action with music, song and dance performed by some of the best flamenco interpreters of the genre. Antonio Canales does a good job in his take of Caco, the head of his clan, and the loving uncle of Diego. Orestes Villason Rodriguez, who is physically handicapped, appears as Diego, who like any other member of this clan, loves his music and women with the same passion. Antonio Dechent appears as Alejandro, Caco's right hand man.

Tony Gatlif brings all the colors of Andalucia to a film and does justice to some of that exotic music and mixes the local gypsy music with Moroccan performers that add color to the movie.

The story is told by images and music. A real semiotic statement and another ode to the love of music by the gypsie people. The film tells you a story about a vendetta and the consequenses of it, played by real people with deep human emotions. A honest document, another masterpiece after Gadjo Dillo and Lacho Drome. I love this movie and it made me laugh and weep, also I couldn't sit still during the music scenes with authentic flamengo/gypsie music. Any music lover should see this film to explore the roots of spanish music.

Cultural drama about a gypsy feud and plenty of Flamenco music . The flick deals with the confrontation between two groups of gypsy clans , it starts with Caco (Antonio Canales) , a head of a gypsy community who attempts to protect everyone he loves , he is very powerful in the local neighborhood . Yet he has been torn to pieces by the death of his intimate child . He constantly visits her grave, weeps silently at her photo and has transferred all his wildly protective love and attention onto his dim-witted nephew Diego (Orestes) . It seems that Diego's father, Caco's brother (Antonio Dechent) is in hiding for killing a Caravacas member , who are equally powerful in the gypsy society . To complicate matters , Caco eventually wishes to forget his past but a gypsy clan seeks vengeance against his brother . They are seeking revenge and have come to Caco for justice . When he refuses to betray his brother who is fleeing after having killed a man from the Caravacas family , they grow impatient . They then realize they are getting nowhere, they threaten to murder Diego . Caco has become involved with the violent gypsy faction that puts him at odds with his own responsibilities . Despite his pride , Caco spontaneously realizes that the cycle of murder and vendetta must be broken .

This intense drama concerns about a blend of fiction and documentary about gypsy life . From start to finish this Flamenco film contains drama , an intrigue about gypsy feud , thrills , emotion and a lot of songs . It is an interesting vision of gypsy universe through a story of rivalry among two families . This issue about gypsy family confrontation has been previously treated in other films such as ¨Los Tarantos¨(1963) by Francisco Rovira Beleta with Carmen Amaya , Sara Lezana , Antonio Gades , ¨Montoyas y Tarantos ¨(1989) by Vicente Escriba with Sancho Gracia , Cristina Hoyos , Esperanza Campuzano and ¨Gypsy¨ (2000) by Manuel Palacios with Laeitia Casta and Joaquin Cortes . ¨Vengo¨ is a thought-provoking drama that keeps you interested and expecting , including a tragic final taking on . Main cast gives nice interpretations , as a good acting by Antonio Canales as Caco , a fierce proud , handsome man who protects his physically challenged nephew and a fine performance from Antonio Dechent as his brother who is in hiding after killing a Caravaca member . Emotive musical score including dances in Derviche style and gypsy-African sounds ; with Flamenco songs splendidly sung by a extraordinary plethora of gypsy singers such as El Moro , Manuel Vega Salazar , Tomatito , Sheikh Ahmad Al Tuni , La Caita , Gritos De Guerra , among others . The cinematographer, Thierry Pouget , is great with light, using it crude and clever , creative and beautiful . The motion picture well written by David Trueba was professionally directed by Tony Gatlif . This is a good film that has achieved international knowledge and Closed the Venice Film Festival in 2000.

The story is told by images and music. A real semiotic statement and another ode to the love of music by the gypsie people. The film tells you a story about a vendetta and the consequenses of it, played by real people with deep human emotions. A honest document, another masterpiece after Gadjo Dillo and Lacho Drome. I love this movie and it made me laugh and weep, also I couldn't sit still during the music scenes with authentic flamengo/gypsie music. Any musiclover should see this film to explore the roots of spanish music.

It's funny that a critic from the new york times could know so little about film. I will not say much except this is one of the most simple, most beautiful stories made into cinema; there is absolutely no artifice, no tricks, and every detail is pure and genuine. Tony uses faces Kurasawa could've killed for. You ain't seen nothing if you ain't seen this. The music, artists like Gritos de Guerra, La Caita, Sheik al Tuni, (seemingly unavailable on record, but better than anything I've heard,) seems to capture at once the joy and sorrow bound up in human life. Likewise the players, most not actors. In fact, the music is so integrated into the lives of the characters, in the end there is no division. For reviewers of respected periodicals, we would explain this is what is called thematic. So much for the standards of education in journalism. Even reviewers who really liked this movie did not fully understand this; like most really great art, it is ahead of the curve. I suppose it should be possible to find a film as beautiful as this, as simple and captivating, but none come to mind. Skip "Vengo" and your life will certainly be less rich.