Oliver's Deal

I like watching movies about other cultures other than my own.

The structure of The Debt told a human very story as they say:

A nurse desperate to find a way to get her sick mother the surgery she needs.

A small boy learning the hard way how to take care of his father's land.

A man born in Peru and educated in America trying to balance business with doing the right thing for his people.

http://cinemagardens.com/index.php/2016/07/11/the-debt

It's down to Earth sub plots like this that make the movie pop out and come together so well.

I really loved the back drop of Peru. it's a beautiful country, and the sound of the wind blowing into the boom mic actually made me feel like I was there.

The Debt has a lot of layers to it because of all the sub stories and lead to one huge plot about an international fiancé deal going south and Stephen Dorff's character, Oliver's attempts to fix it, but it never gets too complex that you can't follow, even with the subtitles.

Very low key movie does not hold back the emotional and political drama it is.

It is really the story of a small boy, a small Indian boy in Peru, who introduces the film by being stirred by a helicopter that suddenly invades the beautiful mountain landscape with its horrible noise. That helicopter signals an approaching doom, but no one is aware of it. Two young businessmen of New York are interested in some land in Peru, which a Peruvian colleague wants them to buy for him in exchange for some vital bonds. The moment this deal enters the story you start to suspect the worst. The small boy spends his days guarding his father's herds of sheep and a lama, and at one time the helicopter turns up again and scares the lama off. The boy spends days and nights searching for their vital lama and finally finds it, while the second young businessman is there to try to find out why this land of very high plains is so attractive for entrepreneurs. He finds the secret of the land but perishes in an accident. Meanwhile the boy and his lama are scared again by the helicopter for the third time and runs away and falls, injuring his leg on a stone. Blood poisoning develops, and he has to be brought to a hospital in Lima. The first entrepreneur offers to help them with the transport if the farmer agrees to sell his lands. The farmer has to agree to save his son's life. The son is brought to the city hospital - by that same helicopter.

There is also the story of the nurse whose mother is in horrible pains and almost dying, and to save her life she uses extortion to make a doctor prefer her as a patient to the boy. At least the nurse and her mother get happy but no one else.

It's a very moral tale prying into the mechanisms of fate how one mishap can result in a chain reaction of others with tragic results that no one desired or was responsible for. It is also beautifully made with marvellous panoramic scenes of the Andes of Peru, which the boy often admires. It is both a cold cynical account of life when things happen that should not, and a heart-rending story of what is right and what is not. Many questions are left unanswered when the film leaves us with many things to think about.

This movie plays different story's that interlace. Showing greed, corruption, suffering, and repentance. This movie ending scene and soundtrack are amazing, very similar to Steven Soderbergh Traffic ending and Brian Eno An Ending soundtrack.

The Debt features riveting talent all across the board. Blade's Stephen Dorff and The Bourne Ultimatum's David Strathairn shine as the bankers who attempt to acquire land from a Peruvian family. Barney Elliott has managed to put together a moving cast that portrays the suspenseful story; with a special mention for Elsa Olivero who gives a heartbreaking performance as a nurse who tries desperately to care for her sick mother. The narrative is topical as it involves three separate stories that intertwine because of a deal to buy some land in Peru by New York financiers. In my opinion, newcomer Barney Elliott showcases great direction and writing as presented by a surprising turn the film makes, which caught me off guard. Furthermore, the film is shot beautifully as Peru is such a vibrant setting. It's great to see an independent movie that utilizes every frame from start to finish and kept me on edge. I recommend that any film lover see this feature.

In a sea of summer films packed with CGI and special effects, Writer and Director Barney Elliott has delivered a smart, clever, and thoughtful, multi-narrative thriller based on a historical reform that took place in 1968. Stephen Dorff stars as a New York financier who will go against all odds to settle a business deal with a Peruvian farming community, a deal which has implication to destroy their way of life. The Debt is a thrilling mystery rooted in realistic, honest characters who are joined by the force of having to make a decision with the effects being out of their control. Definitely worth a watch this summer.