Homo Argentum

Homo Argentum was such a fun surprise. Guillermo Francella is incredible - he slips into each character like it's second nature, and honestly he's the reason the whole thing works. Some parts are hilarious, others make you think, but he keeps it all grounded. Definitely worth watching just for his performance alone.

Guillermo Francella proves once again why he is the most accomplished Argentine actor today. Versatile, genuine, and absolutely convincing, he has the rare ability to move you, anger you, or inspire empathy with the same intensity. His immense talent elevates this collection of short stories that, blending irony with realism, paint a fascinating portrait of the average Argentine in different situations and social contexts.

A work that stands as a true gem of Argentine cinema-entertaining, powerful, and memorable in its own right.

In Homo Argentum, Guillermo Francella once again demonstrates why he stands as one of the most remarkable actors of Latin American cinema. His performance transcends the screen, merging technical mastery with an authentic emotional depth that feels both intimate and universal. Francella's versatility is on full display-he effortlessly navigates between subtle nuances and powerful moments of intensity, delivering a characters that are both believable and profoundly humans.

What makes his acting truly compelling is his commitment to honesty in emotion. Francella doesn't simply "play" a role; he plays 16 and inhabits them, transmitting to the audience a sincerity that resonates long after the film ends. This ability to connect so directly with the spectator, to draw them into the character's inner world, is the hallmark of an artist at the height of his craft.

Homo Argentum is not only a testament to the strength of its narrative but also to Francella's unmatched capacity to elevate every story he touches. His dedication to authenticity turns the film into an unforgettable experience, confirming his place among the finest actors of his generation. The screenplays are AWESOME.

A remarkable hint to the bad reviews, almost all of them, just registered to review THIS movie with one star, and other mediocre film as El Kiosko, with 10 stars, when that film just sold 800 tickets and Homo Argentum have soldout the first weekend, almost 600000 tickets in box office. Thise reviews can´t be trustfull.

Don't expect a masterpiece, but don't listen to the haters either - I think most of the criticism is heavily influenced by political mudslinging.

This is a collection of many short stories - some funny, others sad, a few weak, and some genuinely enjoyable. But all of them are deeply Argentine. Some are a bit stereotypical, others brutally realistic. Together, they offer a raw, unfiltered look at Argentine reality: its dramas, struggles, and hypocrisies. It's a sharp, often acidic take - but that doesn't make it any less true. The characters are well crafted, though I wouldn't say Francella particularly stands out.

I just got out of the theater and decided to write a review while the movie is still fresh in my mind. This will be mostly spoiler-free: more of a general impression than a detailed plot breakdown.

First, a clarification: given the controversy surrounding the release of this film, it's very hard to give a completely objective opinion that isn't influenced by all the noise around it. I'm not pretending my take is totally detached from that, but after reading many other reviews, I feel like at least I'll try to be as fair as possible -something I can't really say about most of the reviews I've seen so far.

Since I first heard this movie was coming out, I already planned to watch it. I've liked Francella since I was a kid, and lately he's done some pretty cool stuff. But when I saw all the controversy (mainly from over-ideologized critics and actors), it made me want to see it even more, just to check for myself. Partly because I honestly can't stand critics in general, and their self-imposed role as "taste police": at best, they act like pretentious snobs; at worst, they judge based on personal artistic, philosophical, or even political ideologies.

That said: I liked the movie. It's nowhere near a 10, like some people rated it, but it's definitely not a 1 either. I'm sure both extremes are more about outside motivations than about the movie itself (though I can understand the 1s a bit more, since maybe it's just not their type of film). In my honest and subjective opinion, it's far from being one of the greats of Argentine cinema (Nine Queens, Wild Tales, The Secret in Their Eyes). But I don't think it ever aimed that high, and that's perfectly fine. On the other hand, it entertained me and made me laugh way more than 90% of Argentine films I've watched -which, to be fair, isn't a very high bar.

The comparison with Wild Tales, as the most famous Argentine anthology film, is inevitable. And no, it doesn't come close. But again: that doesn't seem to be the goal here. This movie is less ambitious, much more random. It reminded me a bit of Poné a Francella, where the actor jumps from role to role with no real storyline other than pure entertainment.

As for the shorts themselves, they're inconsistent: some are good, some weak, some feel like they're just there to fill time, and others are clearly meant to spark controversy. Don't expect to walk out of the theater with an epiphany or deep reflections; this is a movie that simply wants to entertain.

Regarding all the debate about whether the film "represents Argentines" or not, let's not overthink it. I don't believe that's the intention. It's more of a satire of our idiosyncrasies -sometimes flattering, sometimes critical- but it never tries to portray Argentines as a whole. Again, it's just a movie to have a laugh at situations that could easily happen in our country. It's not meant to be a sociological portrait of the "average Argentine."

What I did find refreshing is seeing an Argentine movie without that moralizing agenda, the kind that tries to deliver a "big life lesson" nobody asked for. Don't get me wrong: many shorts do have a strong and clear message, but since each one varies so much, the film as a whole doesn't really feel like it's trying to say anything in particular. It's more a chain of random situations: some longer, some shorter, some with clear intention, others that just seem to be there.

Randomness seems to be the only real constant: in ideology, in quality, in genre... in everything. And the only true thread tying it all together is Francella doing what he does best: being Francella.

If you're looking for a movie that will blow your mind, don't bother. But if you want something that -as long as you don't go in already angry- will entertain you for a while, I'd say give it a shot. I gave it a 7 because, to me, the main purpose of a movie is to entertain. And in my case, it delivered: I had a great time and laughed almost the whole way through.