Buenos Aires Vice Verse

Buenos Aires Viceversa is not a movie to watch for a good time. Although it has its humor (most of which can be easily lost if you are not fluent in Spanish) the film can be dark and even confusing at times. It is definitely artsy and it makes a statement about the turbulent political undertones that still linger in Buenos Aires two decades after a devastating dictatorship. However, the film excels in the honest and raw manner in which it presents its many characters. The acting is so good and the shots used are so simple and untouched that you almost get lost in these peoples' lives and you feel as though your eavesdropping on them. Despite the numerous characters, each one is given depth and personality through the course of the film without falling into the traps of stereotyping. Daniela, in particular, is revealed to us mind and body as the film progresses, and by the end you are moved by the shocking ending which mostly effects her. What I didn't like about the movie was how confusing it can be at times. You're really better off if you have some knowledge about the socio-political situation in Argentina in terms of the legacy of the dictatorship and the consequences from so many "desaparecidos". My knowledge on the subject is somewhat limited so I feel I didn't capture the message entirely. The film is interesting however, and the acting, like I said, is superb. Although I might have missed out on some of the message due to my lack of understanding on the subject of the "desaparecidos" it does raise my curiosity and that is a sign of a good movie.