Postales (two and a half stars) Cuzco, Peru. The historic capital of the Inca empire. So high in the Andes that visitors can initially suffer oxygen deprivation in the thin air. A visually splendid film location, it is the doorway to Machu Picchu and other world heritage ruins; as well as exotic colours, local traditions, and a new world to explore. Director Josh Hyde admirably foregrounds local poor people as the principal characters before getting the main story underway. By the time a family of Westerners arrives, soon to lose their wide-eyed innocence each in different ways, the audience has been primed to see things from radically different viewpoints.
Young Pablo pays 15 Sols (about £3.50) for 50 postcards at cost, selling them on the street to get pocket money and pay for food. Meanwhile, his teenage older brothers go for bigger bait, using looks and charm to fleece foreign girls after sleeping with them. Plus the odd bit of mugging. Mum poses in a square with a llama – a great photo opportunity that visitors will pay for to take home that 'authentic Peruvian look.' Dad has just lost his job. He chews coca and gets drunk. The family is due to be evicted: from a house that is little more than a hovel.
The youngest of a visiting American family is Mary, stereotypically slightly disempowered by her unconsciously authoritarian parents ("You're ten! What do you know!?" scolds mum. We don't really know, but Mary does show grit. "I'm twelve!!" she replies). Mary bright and responsible, constantly taking photos and hoping they can all go to Machu Picchu soon. She bumps into Pablo who is a similar age to herself. He has a pet frog in his pocket. Pre-teen imagination bonds the two kids as they share tender feelings for the frog. Their young 'innocence' mainlines them as heroes of the story.
Pablo reluctantly goes with his older brothers on a 'job.' They pick someone at random; a likely target. Pablo distracts with a persistent attempt at selling postcards, while the other two creep up to give the gringo a beating. And steal a wallet. Pablo is uncomfortable at accepting a share of the takings. By a rather unexplained and remarkable coincidence, the victim turns out to be Mary's father.
Mary's older sister, Elizabeth, lies to their parents so she can date and have sex with a young man she meets at a disco. By another remarkable coincidence, he turns out (unbeknown to her) to be one of the boys who gave her father a kicking. While the parents are at an art gallery, Mary, somewhat out of character I felt, ignores her parents instructions to 'stay put' and goes off with Pablo. Eventually all is dramatically revealed and a happy ending achieved without sacrificing character (if not narrative) credibility.
Postales is a warm, easy-to-like film with overall high production values. Characterisation is excellent, but the narrative lost me half way through. The muggers were rather careless for kids used to the street. But out of a city the size of Cuzco, coincidences were a laid on a little heavy for my liking. It is an easy to watch film but one that left me unimpressed in cinematic terms.
I have edited this review subsequent to its initial appearance. The reasons are as follow. I considered the review balanced. Having posted over 900 reviews on this site alone, I have no ax to grind. My review was the first one to appear on IMDb, publicising the film's strengths and weaknesses as I see them. Immediately afterwards, a considerable number of people registered on IMDb. Apparently for the sole reason of supporting the director's view, which he has explained to me at length but without changing my opinion. These posters, in the reviews, the message board, as well as anonymous posters in the synopsis section, have so far limited themselves to posting about a single film, so I leave readers to make their own conclusions. Reviews should not be about discussions, but as more than one of these 'independent' reviewers have attacked what I have written rather than just writing independently, I shall re-state what I said originally: The film struck me as heavy on coincidences. It is not a massive flaw, but it lessened its worth for me personally. The director can explain these coincidences, which is fine. Perhaps they passed me by. My own view is that they are not sufficiently explained in the film.
A film that is subtitled relies to an extent on an art house market unless it is outstanding. But Postales is neither outstanding nor does it have the content generally associated with the art house market. So far it has not been heavily reviewed. I could only recommend it wholeheartedly to someone going backpacking to Peru and wanting a brief introduction. Or possibly as a 'date' movie. I urge readers to check other independent reviews by people who write about many films, on here or elsewhere. That way you will get a balanced idea. Or take a chance and just see the film for yourself.
(This review is based on the version shown at the Edinburgh International Film Festival)
