Americano

For many watching this movie, it will be deja vu. Two strangers meet while on vacation and a romance blooms but the vacation is too short for the romance to blossom into anything more than a brief romance. That often happens to men in military service who all too often must cut short the romance as their leaves expire. But that is not the case in this movie. In the end the man has a choice. He has a job waiting for him back in the US and he is faced with a choice - either chuck the job and stay with the woman that he is becoming infatuated with - or return to the US and leave the romance.

Every viewer will make their own choice. Leonaro Varelo plays a vivacious charming and sophisticated young woman apparently of some affluence who many men would give their right arm to have as a wife. To meet her on vacation is like having one's wildest dream come true. But it is unlikely that she will leave Spain if she marries the man and what is the man to do who cannot speak Spanish The movie is in a nice setting, reminiscent of Hemingway, in Pampona, Spain, just at the time of the big festival and the running of the bulls. We witness a bull fight which is presented in a way that gives most viewers unfamiliar with bull fights, the essence of bull fighting, if not any expertise in it. And there are some beautiful scenes of the country side.

Dennis Hopper plays an ugly role in this movie and the movie would have been a better movie without him. It was his role and excessive vulgarity and sex that kept me from giving it more than a 5. however, the background and the story make it interesting enough that I recommend it.

AMERICANO is the story of three Americans spending their last "free" days traveling in Europe. They only have a few more days before they return to the States to start their jobs, pay their debts, and enter the "real world". Reminiscent of THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES and THE PUFFY CHAIR, AMERICANO is about discovering the individual. Chris (McKinley) has a good job lined up but is reticent about returning after meeting the enigmatic Riccardo and beautiful Adella. Ryan and Michelle inspect the depths of their relationship. With a beautiful score, the film puts us into the running of the bulls in Pamplona. Chris and Ryan and filled with excitement and anticipation; Chris is inspired by Hemingway, ready to jot this adventure down in his journal. Fate appears in the form of the disappearance of his backpack, and now his plans start to fall apart. Upon meeting the local Adella and being urged to live his life, not the on expected by him, by Riccardo, Chris begins not only a pursuit of Adella but of his own soul and character. Ryan and Michelle, as they begin to near their return to the real world, begin to question their own lives together and what is real vs. simple contentment. The music is extraordinary. While it is a little tough to believe these actors are post-college age, the acting is top-notch for an indie film. The romantic scenes between Chris and Adella are exquisite.

I think as a romantic comedy it works quite well, and I think it's a great film for couples to watch together - preferably by candle-light, with some wine and some tapas snacks on hand. Tim Sharp & Ruthanna Hopper were fine as the "comic" couple played against the serious (Jackson & Varela) couple. I'll admit the Dennis Hopper character was a bit of a problem: his portentous oracular pronouncements ("Be wary!") were a bit hard to swallow. The chemistry between Jackson & Varela is real. The cinematography was first rate; the sights & sounds of Spain, of the drunken blow-out that is the running of the bulls are captured quite well indeed. What, for me, made the film completely worthwhile was the presence of beautiful Chilean actress Leonor Varela. She is a fine actress, and has shown herself to be also a first rate comedic actress. A must see for a Spanish beauty fans!

Kevin Noland makes a fine debut in both writing and directing this colorful, insightful, low-key exploration of the age old Apollonian Dionysian conflict. For a first film, despite some minor technical glitches (overexposed photography at key moments, a soundtrack that eats the dialogue before it is audible), Noland proves himself a keen observer of life, of philosophy, and of character studies. He is definitely an artist to watch.

Chris McKinley (Joshua Jackson in yet another fine performance) has just finished college and is ending his summer holiday in Spain with only three days before he returns to an important corporate position in the US. He is traveling with two friends, Ryan (Timm Sharp) and Michelle (Ruthanna Hopper) who are lovers, and they end their holiday in Pamplona, Spain just as the festival of the bulls is happening. Chris' backpack is stolen and with it his passport, credit cards, all semblances of civilization..., and he plunges out of despair into the wildness of the running of the bulls. He meets two important influences: American expatriate bar owner Riccardo who spouts forth 'live for the moment' concepts, and the beautiful and intoxicating Adela (Leonor Varela) who embodies all that is fascinating about the beauty of Spain. The four young people set out on a hike to fly fish, carouse, and live with nature, and this excursion into Spain's gorgeous countryside affects the foursome: Ryan and Michelle decide to part ways and Chris and Adela...well, the story has a fine ending! Noland respects the viewer and offers his tale of discovery with minimal dialogue, some terrific music, exciting footage of the running of the bulls and bullfights, and some hallucinogenic views of nature. Both Joshua Jackson and Leonor Varela light up the screen. Ruthanna Hopper (Dennis Hopper's daughter) not only acts well, she also has been part of this project since its inception, is one of the producers, and adds a credibility to the story. So despite the occasional technical flaws, this is a little film of joy, a celebration of discovery the important facts of living. Grady Harp

first things first. this is a movie, not a documentary. if you don't know the difference, you shouldn't be involved with a website like this. i have read a lot of comments about how much this movie sucked. i have only this to say. it obviously stuck with people long enough to get online and write a "review" about it. it's always easy to tear a movie apart for what you didn't like about it. i feel sorry for the people who do that though. watching movies is much more enjoyable if you look for things you do like about them. this movie has more than a few redeeming qualities that have been blatantly overlooked in some pretty hateful rants. just to let you in on a few... 1 - the accents aren't perfect. get over it. once you move on you'll listen to what they are saying and not how they sound when they're saying it. there is some pretty clever and realistic dialogue in this movie. 2 - leonor varela is wonderful in this movie. i saw that some were accusing her of overacting the role. i just want to clarify that she is portraying an actress from a small village in spain. and actress playing an actress would seem like overacting to the people who didn't catch that. 3 - the overall message, while maybe elementary in tone, is a good one.

americano deserves at least one watch before it is attacked. it was very enjoyable. not great, but certainly not bad.