felipe-andreazzi
I am a great admirer of Juan Jose Campanella's films and this was the main reason why I decided to watch this film in first place. I did watch Son of the Bride and The Secret of Your Eyes, both great films. Ricardo Darin was another reason why I decided to watch it. I think he is now the greatest actor in the Hispanic cinema. It's amazing how the Capanella-Darin contributions worked so well in this "trilogy".What is really cool about those films is that Campanella can create from a different situation many parallel stories. Like here for example, the main plot in "Luna..." is the administration board trying to save their beloved 70 year club from bankruptcy and to avoid the club to be sold and to build in his place a casino instead. From that plot Campanella shows not just the effort that the club employees do in order to save the club but he also shows the family and love relationships in the life of those people.The trademark in the Campanella films is that he can balance the comedy with the drama. The soundtrack is beautiful as well like in all his films always with a great presence. The chemistry between Darin and Eduardo Blanco is always moving.Although the film could it be a little bit shorter and sometimes the story does not develop as it should, its another great film by Juan Jose Campanella and Ricardo Darin that I definitely recommend it!
Ignacio Vasquez
Campanella is great! The simplicity and humanism of this film really got to me. I have watched many movies starring Ricardo Darin and most of them I liked but with Campanella's direction he shines even more (same as Valeria Bertucelli who I believe to be the best argentine actress since Norma Aleandro). I strongly recommend it. I wish there were more films like this one. I also wish Campanella would direct more often since everything I've watched from him I liked a lot (El Hijo de la Novia, Vientos de Agua, etc). I see he's been directing or writing scripts for House M.D., 30 Rock, Law & Order, etc. I would like to see him directing argentine movies more often instead. Greetings from Cordoba, Argentina.
waldosanmiguel
First off I don't agree with some of this previous comments especially a few from Argentina that have said that this film is not the best work of Darín or Campanella or that it is a disappointment. I thought the film is a gem, a fearless reality based yet humorous human drama. There are no easy answers because it does not sugarcoat the economic problems Argentina has and yet hope is kept alive on the simple fact that they are still alive. This film celebrates life like no other film I've seen. Not since "One flew over the cuckoos nest" has there been so much joy to simply being alive even in the most oppressing conditions. The film doesn't say "Hey, listen to this, this is the solution and the best argument against the problems that plague us" The guy offering solutions to the members of the club is seeing as a "bad guy" but suddenly he is making more sense than the "good guy".Not Darín's best work? WHAT! Just that scene when he watches the little girl dancing ballet moves me to tears thinking about it. Blanco is great comic energy. Everyone is very good. Blanco and Darín should make an all out comedy. They have the rapport that I've seen Joe Pesci and Roberto DeNiro have in scenes together. They make it seem so easy. Anyway see this film and VIVA ARGENTINA CINEMA!!
guille-5
This movie is not an easy one. The succor and illusion of the previous Campanella seems to have gone the same way as the Argentine industry, education, sense of security, that is gone for good,at least for now. This is a suburb city, Avellaneda, in decay just as the whole society. Crossing the bridge into B.Aires, where Darin goes to reflect, will not change the situation. Argentina and Argentines are trapped, and must figure out ways to come out of yet another crisis, and as Jesse Jackson would say,¨"Keep Hope Alive". Darin asks his friend Amadeo, in a great performance by Eduardo Blanco, when he decides to stay in the country "How do you create a new social club". Amadeo responds: "We will research it and figure it out", which is what almost anyone in Buenos Aires is trying to figure out. The social crisis affects not only the economics of a country but its social and human relations, with couples breaking up, cheaters cheating friends and ex-lovers or spouses, and yet there is the hope AA gives to one of the characters, stubbornness in others who refuse to accept friends'leaving the country, and the biggest symbol of hope, the dance teacher's being pregnant, being the ultimate symbol of survival and hope. Acting is uniformly good, although Darin is getting a little stagnant in the role of the wet-eyed sensitive guy. The production is superb, well beyond Argentine standards. And as remarked above, Campanella did not sweeten the reality of this film (as I felt he did with Son of the bride). Must see to understand Greater Buenos Aires and its people.
AD
