Une nuit avec Sabrina Love

I understand the sacrifice made in movies that are a result of adaptations from long novels where the screenwriter needs to cut down a lengthy book into a 120 pages script. It is important to keep the author's spirit and reflect it in the movie. Yet, there might be a scene that needs to be invented for the sake of cinematographic narrative. I don't understand though, the directors (or screenwriters) who feel they must add their own creative philosophical writing to a well rounded novel when this is not necessary. It does not add anything to the spirit of the book and the movie loses focus and direction. It feels patchy. The book, "A night with Sabrina Love" is concise, direct, modern, fresh, entertaining, it is always moving forward and very cinematographic in its nature. It reminds me for some reason I can't pinpoint, to J. D. Salinger, "The Catcher in the Rye". "A night with Sabrina Love" is a prize winning novel by the way. This movie is less than a mediocre adaptation. It feels old, slow paced, unfocused. Having read the book, I can only think of the director's lack of humility while writing the screenplay. Even though I like Alejandro Agresti's work, I feel he was not a good option to direct this movie. It is sad when these kind of things happen.

The film offers a glimpse into the life of a small town teenager: his routine, ideals, friends & family, and his ultimate fantasy. It also presents the striking differences in Argentina between its dominating capital (where about one third the population of this huge country lives & controls everything) and the rest of the country. Additionally, it is an excellent vehicle for Cecilia Roth (ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER), as the much-desired Sabrina Love.

Daniel Montero, a seventeen year old, he enjoys his nocturnal rite: to watch the program of the ultimate porn star. So, when he wins the contest to spend a night with Sabrina, he feels he has struck gold. Sabrina awaits him in her TV studio in Buenos Aires. Daniel starts his journey from the isolated town where he lives with his grandmother since his parents died. His life is boring; he has a disgusting job. In his journey, Daniel discovers the world and finds himself in a hazardous and eventful life, with a gallery of men helping him to grow through wisdom, and mischievous advice & lies, a young woman who seduces him, and of course Sabrina, her producers and her colleagues in the porn industry.

It's a fascinating look at many aspects of a teenager's life, and self-discovery in this new era in South America. Also for Ms. Roth, the international award-winning actress known for very heavy dramatic roles, this film is a complete about face. She proves to be just as adept in comedy as she is in drama.

Always a pleasure to see anything new coming out of Latin America, Argentina is one of the most talented countries when it comes to film production. Una Noche Con Sabrina Love has two of the Spanish speaking world's greatest actresses in Cecilia Roth and Norma Aleandro. Alas, the latter is woefully under-used in a role as a photographer that she fleshes out way beyond its worthiness. Aleandro glows off the screen with sheer star power but essentially has very little to do. Cecilia Roth sinks her teeth into the role of porn star Sabrina Love who gives one night of passion to the virginal seventeen year old Daniel, who writes to her from his small village in the country and wins one night in her arms. With a series of picaresque adventures before he arrives in Buenos Aires, Daniel reconnects with the secretly gay brother he has not seen for three years. Without having read the source material of the book on which this movie is based, one has an expectation that the picaresque adventures will continue. Alas, the story gets bogged down in heavy-handed philosophical discussion that should have been tossed out of the window. This is one very obvious instance in which the screenwriter should have stepped away from the source material. There is a lot of very good acting talent at work here, specifically from the two lead actresses, but as the character of Daniel (ably interpreted by Tomas Fonzi) is the focus of the story, there should have been more opportunity for his character to experience a wider range of emotions. One wonders how Fellini might have handled a coming of age story like this. Not a complete failure, but when the movie has the title One Night With Sabrina Love, one could be forgiven for wanting to see how the encounter between the porn star and the inexperienced young guy would affect her as much as him. It would certainly have given Cecilia Roth a greater opportunity, which she unquestionably would have soared with. An interesting movie with a few disappointing longeurs along the way. Could have been better with a more skilfully written script. Just because the book is good doesn't mean to say that the script should stay faithful.

In Curuguazu, in the countryside of Argentina, the seventeen year-old Daniel Montero (Tomás Fonzi) has been raised by his grandmother for three years since the death of his parents in a car accident. Daniel has a boring life, working in a poultry processing plant and meeting his friends in the square for small talk. He saves some money from his salary and buys an old television, where he watches the late night show of the porn star Sabrina Love (Cecilia Roth). When Daniel wins a contest to spend one night with Sabina Love in Buenos Aires, he does not have the 50 pesos of the bus ticket and hitchhikes along 500 kilometers with truck drivers to the city. He is robbed on the road but arrives in Buenos Aires on Saturday morning, but the television postpones his meeting with Sabrina Love to Monday. Without any money, he visits his older brother Enrique (Fabián Vena) that left his hometown many years ago to study agronomy in Buenos Aires and does not know that his parents are deceased. Along the few days in the big city, Daniel discovers the truth about the secret life of Enrique; sex with Sabrina Love; and love with the independent journalist Sofia (Julieta Cardinali) returning a more self-confident teenager to Curuguazu.

"Una Noche con Sabrina Love" is a charming and delightful coming to age Argentinean tale totally different from the usually stupid American movies of this genre. This dramatic comedy of discoveries of a teenager that leaves the quiet town to spend three days in a big city is directed by Alejandro Agresti of "Valentin" and has Cecilia Roth in the role of a successful porn-star. The screenplay deserved some improvements, since there are sequences that are confused. For example, the shy attitude of Daniel when he visits Sofia in her apartment and does not have sex with her is unexplained; or why he does not tell his beloved brother that their parents have died; or why he is a compulsive liar. Anyway, this film is an enjoyable entertainment and was released on VHS in Brazil by Buena Vista Home Entertainment distributor. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Uma Noite com Sabrina Love" ("One Night with Sabrina Love")

A charming coming of age film from Argentina. Daniel wins the chance to live out the dream of many men, a night with their favourite porn star, in Daniel's case the beautiful Sabrina Love. A great tale as Daniel leaves his small home town, arrives in Buenos Aires, reuniting with his brother & making new friends, finally achieving his goal, a night with Sabrina Love. Nice, fun entertainment 6/10