Cien veces no debo

Wow! I just saw this movie on T.V., I had no expectations at all. IT IS GREAT. The way that it makes it's way from comedy to drama in a reflexive way.

I believe that this movie uses a true and sincere cinematic language. Just remember the scene where "la nena" was grabbing the branch of a tree VERY similar to the "memories tree" her mommy and daddy built for her while shouting: "No daddy! I don't want to!". A clear regression to childhood...

This movie is, by far the best argentine comedy ever filmed (OK, it does share that title with ESPERANDO LA CARROZA). Don't pay any attention to the rating: this story about a pregnant 18-year old girl, just rush out of high school and about to enter college, who has her so self-called "liberal and moderns" parents thinking she's a sweet little virginal angel, when she's in fact cheeding in her stupid boyfriend (who she is not sleeping with) with half the neighborhood. Alejandro Doria, who also directed ESPERANDO LA CARROZA, makes the film adaptiation of the stageplay by the same name one of the most brutal critics to the argentine middle-clase hipocresy, and to the family in general. It also has an incredible amount of fabolous, and completely halarious performances by Andrea del Boca, playing the Lidia, the pregnant girl, Norma Aleandro (who you might now from the 1984 best foreign picture Oscar winner THE OFFICIAL STORY, or from her rol in GABY, A TRUE STORY, wich gives her a nomination for supporting actress in 1987) as her mother, Luis Brandoni as her father, Dario Grandinetti as her innocent boyfriend, Federico Luppi as the father of the baby, Verónica Llinás as an silent maid, and many more. If you want to see a good argentine movie that will also make you think, you definitely have to go to the closest international video store and get this movie.

This filmed version of a stage play (Why didn't they just film it directly to video from the Buenos Aires stage?) has very limited appeal. The user rating is a clear example of how 5 or so voters can achieve whatever rating they desire for a film. Granted CIEN VECES NO DEBO stars Argentina's greatest stars; obviously it was a smash comedy hit at home. However, as an admirer of Norma Aleandro, Federico Luppi and co., not to mention the country's culture in general, even I was shocked at what I saw when my VCR started playing this mindless, banale sitcom. Proving she can survive anything, only Norma Aleandro's campiness (as self-parody), and her outrageous costumes were of any notice. We already know Argentinian society and morality is very backwards by Western standards,(the economy and political situation even more so), so for those of us who love the country anyway, why remind us? Keep unsightly laundry hidden at home.

I'm not against "light" movies, quite the opposite I thank them for they entertain me and give me a moment of solace.

But it surprised me a lot to see that eight people out of 36 rated this movie as a 10. I guess they are part of the Andrea del Boca fan club or something like that.

Well, I liked the movie, even though it has no sense at all. Great actors working hard for the money in a awfully written and dull plot.

I can't recommend this movie.