Tarde para la ira

The single most important thing distinguishing a good thriller from a bad one, is the screenplay. It has to be simple but effective, with lots of suspense and without any unnecessary subplots.

'Tarde para la Ira' is a great thriller, because the writer, who is also the director, has stuck to this basic rule. The story of a man who waits for years to take revenge, is very effective. And the carefully planned way he finally gets even with his adversaries, keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very last moment.

Also, this film is very good in creating the right atmosphere. There's nothing polished or glamorous about the people in this film. They are as rough as the working class neighbourhoods in Madrid, where the film is set.

The great thing is that the film doesn't need many action scenes. There is one great scene, the very first one, shot from the viewpoint of a driver, who is trying to escape from the police after a robbery. This is a crucial scene, but why it is so important becomes clear only later in the film. There are a few violent scenes, but they are filmed in a very matter-of-fact style.

This film seems to be a perfect candidate for an American remake. It doesn't take much effort to change the setting from Madrid to Chicago, Los Angeles or Miami. On the other hand, I doubt if an American director can do as good a job as Raúl Arévalo.

José (Antonio De La Torre) falls in love for Ana (Ruth Diaz) , Juanjo's (Raul Jimenez) sister-in-law , who works as a waiter in the bar of his brother . But the tranquility finishes when Curro (Luis Calleja) , Juanjo's brother, is freed from prison after various years in jail by a robbery to a luxurious jewelry where the salesman ended in a permanent coma and the saleslady was killed by one of the thieves . A merciless avenger José quietly plans to find and exact revenge against the thieves and his emotional loneliness and isolation to be led to tragic consequences . After a strong discussion between Curro and Ana , José moves Ana and her little son to his cottage to keep them away from Curro . As the avenger José has only one thirst : blind fury and bloody revenge . As the extremely violent José seeks vendetta in order to discover the identity of the rest of a criminal bunch (Manolo Solo , Font García) , as taking the law into his own hands against them . While the anger grows within him José executes a relentless revenge , acting as judge , jury and executioner against those responsible of the deaths his beloved beings . At the beginning he kidnaps Curro . As Curro and José start traveling by some towns looking for the Curro's colleagues in crime . As Curro makes common cause with José , knowing that if anyone stops it , he probably ends being another victim more of the violent homicidal instincts of José . At the end takes place an astounding tragedy and surprising final .

This is an exciting , though downbeat , revenge/thriller in which there is action , violence , a triangular love story , interesting characters and surprising twists . The violence could be deemed excessive , especially when it occurs some grisly killings . The plot is plain and simple , a strange man seeks avenge , at whatever cost , against the nasty robbers who ransacked and killed his loving beings . Very good acting by Antonio De La Torre as a silent and circumspect man who loses his sweetheart during a vicious robbery at a jewelry store , seeking revenge for the salesman and the saleslady dead at the robbing . Sensational Luis Calleja as a delinquent who is freed from the jail after eight years by a robbery . Support cast is pretty well , such as : Raúl Jiménez , Font García , Pilar Gómez and Alicia Rubio . Special mention for Manolo Solo , he steals the secondary show as a peculiar ex-delinquent as well as his previous role as judge Ruz in ¨B¨ . Nice and evocative production design , as we see some slums or "barrios" from Madrid outskirts and some fine locations . The director creates a sort of Spanish Neo-Realism by tackling the Spanish streets , being rightly portrayed the city of Madrid , in the so-called popular Barrios . His style is pretty much urban and realistic as well in the atmosphere as in the fresh dialog . Filmmaker Raúl Arévalo shows the environment of these ¨barrios" , toughness and cold existence along with some nice scenes . Evocative and dark cinematography by Arnau Valls Colomer , being filmed on Madrid locations . Thrilling and resounding musical score by Vanessa Garde and Lucio Godoy .

"The Fury of a Patient Man" or ¨Tarde Para La Ira¨ was compellingly written/directed by Raúl Arévalo at his film debut , realizing in a realistic as well as moving style . It got a a big hit in Venice Film Festival 2016 and it Won : Venice Horizons Award to Best Actress : Ruth Díaz and being Nominated Venice Horizons Award Best Film : Raúl Arévalo . Actor/writer/filmmaker Raúl Arévalo was born (1979) in Madrid , where is set ¨Tarde Para La Ira¨. Arevalo began working in cinema in the early 2000s as a secondary actor and filming some shorts and writing screenplays . He is a great actor , known for La Isla Mínima (2014) , También La Lluvia (2010) and for TV series as Con Culo Al Aire (2012) , El Tiempo Entre Costuras (2013) , Velvet (2015) , La Embajada (2016) . And fetish actor to Daniel Sánchez Arévalo , including prestigious films as Primos , Azuloscurocasinegro , Gordos and La Gran Famila Española .

A good story, great actors perfect filmed scenes make The fury of a patient man a very oppressive movie. The story is told in the first 30 minutes of the movie. A lot of story lines pass by, I compared it a little bit wit the outstanding Italian mafia movie Suburra.

After 30 minutes things start falling together, opposites turn into mates, because of the common goals they both have. The unpredictable patient man is determined by the things that happened in the past to take revenge. Taking risk is also part of the deal and sometimes silence is golden and....being a good "salesman" can save lives.

Hidden agenda's make women believe that man and wife life in an ideal world. Anxiety, opens doors but is not a guarantee for a better life! The truth of an ideal world: between pigs and chicken.

Tarde para la Ira, after seeing this movie I spoke to some people in the wonderful Concordia movie house in Enschede to 2 young people and I told them that this movie had the same quality as seen in La Isla Minima...not knowing, that one of the actors directed this great movie.

Opening jewelry store robbery, leads to one dead, and another in a coma, and the perpetrator in police custody. He is sent to prison for eight years as a result, and our antihero, Jose, spends those years slowly plotting and planning to avenge the death in the attack, the fire of revenge burning slowly, and while simultaneously becoming detached from those around him as a result. 

We don't just see a copy of a Travis Bickle-type character here, we see more of the slow descent into violence and madness, and the circumstances which caused it. We know why, we just don't know how, exactly, his revenge will take shape.

Recommended, as it is well written and acted, but marred slightly by poor hand-held cinematography (except for an impressive car rollover after the robbery, shot from inside the vehicle in a single take) and uneven pacing.

The human drama is powerful and poignant, as bereaved José (Antonio de la Torre) roams around a shady Madrid neighbourhood looking to avenge his wife and father. First-time director Raúl Arévalo is a good storyteller and is well helped by solid performances from de la Torre, Luis Callejo, Ruth Diaz and Manolo Solo, but the film hasn't got any moral insights or redemption to offer. It's too preoccupied with its own mission. The story is a runaway train destined to crash, and so when it crashes ... it simply crashes. The English title is The Fury of a Patient Man, which largely describes the plot.