Derecho de familia

I found the film quite disappointing. I felt the film lacks focus and intensity and the script is quite flat, almost a soap opera. The film is described (and accordingly so named) as the struggle of Ariel Perlman (Daniel Hendler) a Law professor addressed as 'Doctor Perlman', to realize his own identity from his father, 'Doctor Perlman', an established, sharp Buenos Aires lawyer. Unfortunately the movie has no real focus on this, nor on other aspects of Ariel's life (we see a bit about his role as a teacher, a bit about his family life as husband and father, a bit about his social life, and a bit about his relationship to his father, but no strong story or drama links all this together).

In particular I am not too excited to see this movie as the Argentinean candidate for the Foreign Language Oscar nominations for 2006, as I think it will not compete well with high quality submissions such as 'Water'.

I liked this movie because it's refreshingly different from Hollywood fare. It doesn't slam you in the face with obvious, hackneyed comedy or drama. It doesn't pontificate or send us strong signals from the belly of existential angst, although that is one of its underlying premises.

The problem with the film is that it's pretty static; it doesn't gather momentum, it doesn't draw us in with any kind of a solid story. It's a would-be philosophical offering about father and son lawyers (Arturo Goetz and Daniel Hendler respectively), and how a son can aspire to be like his father, but never can. Despite our connection by blood, we can never replicate our parents.

In Daniel Burman's film, we must do some thinking, which is fine with me; thinking about a movie is getting rare these days. We fill in a lot of blanks with this film, which is guided by minimalist techniques. Enter another problem: when we don't really feel like filling in the blanks, when the film just isn't that engaging to make us WANT to fill in the blanks, then we're left dangling.

'Dereche de Familia' is interesting because it's off-key and unpredictable. Other than that, it doesn't have much going for it. There is a lot of potential for dramatic or comedic character development, but it just keeps falling short.

I was perplexed when Hendler (the son) married a gorgeous pilates instructor (Julieta Diaz). Despite this, we never really see Diaz's hard body, and there is only a hint of sexual activity. If Diaz is set up as a sexy 'other,' why is she just physically ignored?

Somebody had to be crass and state the obvious. Welcome to my world.

This is an amazing movie. It describes the perfect lifestyle of an Argentinian man/family/relationships. It may sound weird that my comment is so different from the previous one, but if you want to know how a middle-class family is, this is an incredible portrait from it. Daniel Hendler and Julieta Diaz are two of the best young actors we have and they mix up with well-known actors as Adriana Aizemberg. It it a must see; it's funny, sad and moving. If you're not Argentinian you may not get all of it OR you may appreciate our ways in different aspects of life. If you go deeper and you want to know something more that your own country, don't miss the chance and see it.

I found this review today, I love the film! Its excellent, charming and you must see the little boy...

The drama begins with the voice-over narration of Perelman (Daniel Hendler), a lawyer in Buenos Aires who teaches at a university. He's talking about the habits of his father, Perelman Sr. (Arturo Goetz), a popular and successful barrister who meets with his clients where they work or in restaurants so he can size them up in a personal setting. He is very close to his secretary (Adriana Aizemberg) since his wife is dead. Work fills his days, and his son his astonished by his energy. Perelman Jr. has a rather lackadaisical lifestyle.

 

After lusting after Sandra (Julieta Diaz), a looker in his class, Perelman Jr. marries her, and she starts teaching pilates in their apartment. They have a son, Gaston (Eloy Burman), who turns out be quite the little charmer. Perelman Jr.'s office building is shut down for a month, and he is given some time off, but he doesn't share this news Sandra. Asked at school to participate in a program, he rebels but eventually capitulates.

 

Family Law explores in a realistic and touching way the emotional barriers that often block intimate conversation between fathers and sons. Perelman Jr. intuits that something different is going on with his father but does not ask him about it. He forgets to buy a birthday present for his father's 65th birthday and is embarrassed to admit it.

 

Many sons are intimidated by their larger-than-life fathers and spend a lot of time hiding in their shadows. Perelman Jr.'s lack of drive comes through in his relationship with Sandra as well. He has the habit of falling into bed at night and sleeping in his shirt and tie. She is very patient with his foibles and when she goes away for the first time since the birth of their son, she hopes that her husband will be able to manage without her.

 

Daniel Hendler puts in a rounded and relaxed performance as the underwhelming Perelman Jr., a young man who slowly comes into his own. Family Law is the official entry from Argentina for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Awards.

Most modern Argentine movies are of dark, sad topics. This one is not quite a comedy, but not melodramatic either. Instead it is a pleasant film about family relationships. Father and son are attorneys in Buenos Aires but the son has never worked with his dad, although the father's office had a room for him. Instead he is a creative university professor of law, and meets his future wife there. When the son becomes a father himself, he takes stock of his life and realizes there is more to it than work. The movie is entertaining, but simple, and well acted. It hasn't yet been released in the US, but I saw it in Buenos Aires and English subtitles were available on the DVD.