Tão de Repente

Argentina, like the United States, is a country whose ideal female is thin, tall and blonde. Marcia (Tatiana Saphir), is none of these things. She is fat, short and dark and stuck in a working class job staffing the counter of a tiny lingerie store in Buenos Aires with almost no customers. With few friends and no man in her life, there's little likelihood that anything will ever happen to change Marcia's life.

Suddenly, Marcia's tedious routine of sleep, work, and food followed by more of the same is interrupted by the arrival of Mao (Carla Crespo) and Lenin (Veronica Hassan), two young lesbians who approach her on the street. Mao declares her love for Marcia and the three women spend a long weekend together that takes them to Mar del Plata, Rosario, and back to Buenos Aires and teaches everybody involved lessons about the pleasures and pains of life.

Director Diego Lerman films this story in a moody and hip black-and-white style that recalls the early work of Jim Jarmusch and other independent filmmakers of the 1980s. All the actors give good performances, particularly Beatriz Thibaudin as the elderly aunt Blanca who does a terrific dance number. Strongly recommended.

8/10