Il re di Once

Ariel (Alan Sabbagh) lives in the US, but returns home to Buenos Aires to visit with his father, Usher. Running errands, and trying to please others, at first he finds it annoying and does the best he can. Ignoring details, he accomplishes tasks to his own liking, and finds the Jewish religious details annoying. To show how out of place he is back in his childhood city, he has his phone and suitcase stolen when he's not paying attention. As he goes along, people depend on him more and more to get things done, and he starts to enjoy getting things done in the proper manner. he calms the people down when there are no supplies to sell, and learns the intricate details of the Jewish ceremonies. mostly a serious drama, there are a couple funny moments. This is interesting to watch... currently showing on netflix, the U.S. title is the Tenth Man, but it's really called El Rey Del Once (which translates to The King of Eleven...kind of a left-over, extra guy) This title makes more sense when the local jewish group explains how necessary it is to have a group of ten men, when a community makes decisions.

Movies are something difficult to get. It's 80 minutes of essentially nothing going on. There's a plot, hidden, between the dialogues. But the plot not only is ever clarified but it rewards no develop'ment to whatever is supposed to be happening. We see this man, reconnecting with the place he grew up on, remembering what it was like to be, how it all works, but not doing anything whatsoever other than going along with time. He connects to a mute, religious woman who really doesn't have a story to tell, until at the end when she just refers to an importat character of the plot as 'godlike'.

While watching it, I didn't really know what I was looking for, or waiting for, other than the so called Usher, and everything ender so fast, so numb.

Ariel is semi-estranged from his abrupt and somewhat eccentric father. His father (Usher) lives in the Jewish section of Buenos Aires, while Ariel - living a more secular life - makes his home in New York City. Ariel has a girlfriend he's serious about and he wants her to meet dad, so the plan is to fly down to Argentina and everybody can meet everybody. Which is not what happens. I loved the fact that nobody in this movie looks like a movie star and Buenos Aires isn't looking all that great, either. I'm not even sure how many people caught on film are actually actors. Real people, in a real place, and a little story about a guy who comes home again and starts to wonder why he left. In the end, a sweet-tempered and amusing story - but a few things need explaining that aren't explained very well. Just a few more minutes to explain Ariel's sudden change in mood.

As a reviewer who enjoyed the film what was a cinematic love letter to Brooklyn 'Blue in the Face' which was directed by Wayne Wang and starred Harvey Keitel because for me - the place where the film is set can be the star of the show and I feel this is where we are with 'El Rey Del Once' (The King of Once).

Ariel (the always excellent Alan Sabbagh) has to return from New York to Buenos Aires and is asked by his father to bring some velcro shoes which he was unable to find - this is the first disappointment out of many - this isn't a part of Buenos Aires a lot of tourists get to see - Once, Almargo and Villa Crespo is what is known as the Jewish part of the city and has now passed onto the Chinese and Latin American immigrants from nearby countries but Ariel (Sabbagh) still has plenty of people in his community who rely on him and his father to get things done. Life is complicated for Ariel, finding his feet back home, fighting his feelings for a love interest and reminiscing about the past - sometimes, a really good movie doesn't have to have a clear linear plot and this doesn't really but it is about a part of Buenos Aires that doesn't get that much exposure but in this film, it does a good job of showing us how it is for some of the people who have lived there for generations.

It's not for everyone and if you're one for car chases and people getting shot then give it a miss but if you like subtle character driven films then give it a go.

Other reviews describe the gist of the movie, so I won't repeat it. Instead, I offer my take-away.

The reasons I was disappointed with this movie are ...

Not one person in this movie is likeable. Perhaps that was intentional, although I don't know what it accomplishes, because I could never discern the point of the film. The trajectory is unknowable and, as far as I am concerned, pointless.

Other than one woman who chooses to be quiet, deliberate and mute, everyone in the movie is rushed, demanding, and confused.

I couldn't feel any empathy towards anyone or their situation. All the characters were unlikeable, if not annoying. Everything is in chaos, dilapidated, disorganized, etc. I'm sure this was intentional too, but to what end, I cannot fathom.

I've been to Once (the neighborhood where this takes place) and it certainly is chaotic, crowded and full of live. I'm sure there are fascinating stories to be told that would grab my attention, but there was no interesting story here; just a prolonged wait for the moment when it all coalesced. But there was no such moment.