Cebalord Very best movie i ever watch

ShangLuda Admirable film.

Leoni Haney Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

jotix100 Luna de Avellaneda, a social club in a working class district of Buenos Aires has seen better days. In fact, we are given a short peek at the place in another era. The club was full of life, a crowded place where people went to have a good time and mingle with friends and neighbors. That look to the past happens during a night when a sort of fair is going on. That is the night in which Roman comes into the world as his mother, attending the feast, gives birth to him in the club house. As a gesture, Roman Maldonado is made free member for life. Roman's fate was sealed the night when he was born. His love for the institution will never die.When we next come to the club, years have gone by. In fact, seventy years the club has been in existence. Sadly, Aquiles, founder of the Luna, and the board of directors are told they owe forty thousand pesos in back taxes they neglected to pay. Roman, now active in the affairs of the Luna, goes to the municipality to find out what can be done. One of the problems is the dwindling membership and people not socializing as before. Alejandro, who is a member of the club has received a proposal from someone interested in developing the site into a sort of amusement park which will employ 200 workers from the club. What Alejandro proposes is to sell their beloved Luna where he stands to make a handsome profit.It is the end of an era. To complicate matters, Roman's marriage has reached an impasse. His wife Veronica, a school teacher, wants a separation. Dario, his son, wants to leave the country to go to try his luck in Spain. The place is crumbling and no one knows the solution to bring back the Luna of Avellaneda to a semblance of what it was.Juan Jose Campanella, co-wrote and directed this film that is laden with symbolism. One can see the parallel between the Luna and the country, Argentina. Both have seen splendor, but alas, both are going through difficult times. The back taxes from the social club stands for the money the country owes because in spite of having the potential to be great, not much is being produced. Dario, the young son of Roman, like some of his contemporaries want to leave to seek a better life, in his case to Spain, only to see the dream probably ending at present because of the high unemployment in Spain. Loyalty, as well as nostalgia, are two of the themes that come into play. Only Roman and a handful of members vote to keep the club going. Ricardo Darin is an actor that always gives his best in everything he appears. He shows he can carry a picture as he has proved with "Son of the Bride", "The Secret in Their Eyes", "El mismo amor, la misma lluvia", all directed by Mr. Campanella. Mr. Darin is a welcome presence in any film in which he decides to appear. He shows a special understanding with the director.Mr. Campanella always include Eduardo Blanco in his films. His Amadeo is not exactly one of his best creations and the way the character is written it does not make much sense, but he is around to give the picture some sort of comic relief. Daniel Fanego, Mercedes Moran, Valeria Bertuccelli and the late Spanish actor Jose Luis Lopez Vazquez do good work for Mr. Campanella.

valdezlopez I just watched this movie as part of a screening organized by the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival organizers."How?", I ask, that Argentinians (well, Juan Jose Campanella & co.) keep making these amazing little movies with almost no budget? I'm Mexican, and proud as I may be about the very, very few recent successes Mexican cinema may have, I do think (and, oh, please, don't let nationalisms rise, this is TRUE) Argentinian cinema has a thing or two to teach the entire Latin American movie industry.For starters: the story is so simple, the budget issue is leveled. And no, there's no bank robberies, no kidnappings, no killings, no raping and even curse words are used with such cleverness that they recover their meaning.Second, the script itself, its dialog: it rings true and alive throughout the whole story. Granted: I don't get many of the South American jargon, but I still get the point.Third, the cast. What a marvelous ensemble.Fourth: it's damn funny (check the 'dental retarded' line) and heartwarming as well (without being it preachy; reality smacks down any attempt from "preachines").What gets me is that this movie was released in 2004. It took me 4 years to find out about it. Four years! Why? Why do smart/polished productions like these get the short end of the stick? They're good stories and they're PROFITABLE stories as well! The movie was bringing down the house in the Anglosaxon-filled theater it was shown.I guess it all comes down to numbers. There's too much competition and distributors don't have faith in contemporary gems like these. That's probably what forces its directors to leave for better work fields and put their hands on NorthAmerican TV series like "30 Rock", "House M.D." or "Law and Order: SVU".Hopefully, we'll see more of these Latin American (thank you, Argentina) movies in the future.Did you liked this movie? Try "El hijo de la novia (The Bride's Son, 2001)" or "Valentin (2002)".

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!!

rooroo-1 A superb movie, the best Argentine movie I've seen. The entire plot (the attempt to keep the neighbourhood social club going) is an allegory for Argentine recent history, and each character represents a strand in that, eg the old Don, the Spanish immigrant who came to Argentina so full of hope - like many - but whose time has passed. Despite the light relief and clever humour it's ultimately a tragic tale, as any good tango. I'm not sure how well it would play outside the country ie if it would resonate with people who didn't understand the allegory, but for anyone with an interest in Argentina it's a definite don't miss.