Une nuit avec Sabrina Love

I saw this film at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival last night. The film was a charming commentary on love, sex and growing up in modern Argentina. I had a few problems with the narrative flow as the action starts and stops with no explanation as to how the characters arrived at that point in the story. This seemed less a choice in playing with the narrative structure, and more of mistake on the part of the filmmaker. However, all in all, it was a fun filmgoing experience. My Spanish is somewhat flawed, but even with my poor comprehnsion, I could tell that I was missing some great jokes and other crucial information. I'm sure that my experience would have been better with more accurate subtitling.

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.

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

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.

Directed by Alejandro Agresti and based on the novel from 1998 of the same name by Pedro Mairal, Una noche con Sabrina Love is a coming-of-age that follows 17-year-old Daniel Montero (Tomás Fonzi) winning a contest to spend a night with Sabrina Love (Cecilia Roth), an adult film star he watches every night on television. Daniel lives in Curuguazú, Entre Rios, and will have to travel to Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, to claim his prize. In doing so, he finds himself the protagonist of his own adventure. Whether that is navigating the dangerous routes to la ciudad de la furia, where criminals abound, meeting people from all walks of life, or seeing his older brother again, an experience he will not forget awaits young Daniel.

Daniel cannot avoid being excited about his trip. As someone living in a small town with the prospect of working in a factory his whole life, his existence is characterized by being perfunctory and dull. His desire to be with Sabrina, coupled with his inexperience, serves as a platform for self-growth. His trip offers different encounters with characters that will teach him something.

Alejandro Agresti's feature offers the possibility to see Giancarlo Giannini, known for Hannibal (2001) and Casino Royale (2006), certainly the most famous actor of the cast, speaking Spanish and in a movie far away from the blockbusters he is known for. It also features Norma Aleandro, one of the strongest performances in the movie, and Julieta Cardinali as never seen before. Una noche con Sabrina Love, ultimately, has its moments and will definitely be of interest for those who like coming-of-age films.