Tarde para la ira

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.

As in Blue Ruin. If you've seen that, you know what I mean by that. If not let me break it down. If you've seen the trailer you know what this is about. A man seeking revenge to those who have done wrong by him (his loved ones to be more truthful). And while this is down and dirty, it also is very real. It does not shy away from violence, but it does not stylize it either.

It does not cherish in it, it will not make you feel happy or excited, it just does. And this stuff is not for everyone. If you want your thriller to be more entertaining, than you should look elsewhere. If you like slow cooking and moving thrillers, that are more about character and their journey, this is the one to seek out ... it takes you places

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.

There are so many good things to talk about in this movie. First of all, it starts out very strong and grabs you right off the bat. Then I really liked the occasional behind the shoulder camera work which gives an intimate and unnerving feeling but it's not overly done where it becomes exhausting. The look and feel of the movie fits so well to the locations and overall intention. I loved the progresiveness of the film which tells the main character's story and purpose in two very different halves. Every character is very carefully designed and has a meaningful and interesting presence.

It's the revenge story of a quiet but determined guy.

Better than i expected. This is a good crime drama movie. Not much action, shootings, killings, this is more of a drama than anything else. But still, it's intense and gripping at times, especially during the second half. Also clever and realistic, characters are well written, actors are great. It's a serious movie, kinda bleak and sad. I empathised with those characters.

It requires your attention at first, it's not difficult to follow but it's not that easy either. Slow to start, but as i said, second half is intense, and it gets more intense as it progress. Strong ending even though it's a bit abrupt.