Americano

I wish there were more films like this. Truly a gem. If you like foreign films then you will love the style of this American tale. It captures real life in a remarkable, visceral way that few films ever achieve. The bullfight was a little too bloody for my taste but writer-director Kevin Noland did a good job of showing the good, bad and the ugly of the Spanish tradition. You won't have to go to a bullfight or run with the bulls once you see this film - but you will want to go to Spain. And the running of the pit bulls and little people has to be one of the most bizarre and funny scenes I can recall - classic! Great acting and directing. The visuals are so good they ought to be studied. Music was a strange mix of old and new but it works well.

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

This is undoubtedly the most pretentious and terrible film I have ever watched. It is ignorant, trying to be cultured but just comes across as embarrassingly cringe-worthy and wooden. The main female character who is supposed to be (I think) passionate and exciting is instead annoying and fake. Its obviously an American portrayal of what they see as culture on this side of the ocean(European countries) but it does nothing but expose the ignorance of the American film industry. The only slightly redeeming fact about this movie is Jackson's character's best friend who is pretty funny (but is not even on the screen very much). I have never written a review on anything before but feel like it would be selfish in this case not to warn the rest of the world not to waste 2 hours watching this film as I have done. (well actually it was so bad I switched it off before the end). Basically if you ever think about watching this film...DON'T.

This movie is about three friends, a couple and their writer friend Chris who travel around the world to find themselves and the truth. When they reach Spain their adventure heats up when they meet Adella. Adella and Chris are instantly attracted to each other, she decides to give him a taste of Spain.

From food, beautiful places, music (the soundtrack is absolutely amazing!), and even the famous San Fermin (Pamplona Bull Run). But my favorite scene must be the scene when Adella played by Leonor Varela seduces Chris played by Joshua Jackson. Such a beautiful scene and the song is super hot.

This is an awful failure of a film, one of the worst I have seen in a while. The acting is absolutely abysmal, the story-line a bore, the characters self-absorbed zeros I would never want to meet anywhere, not even at a garage sale. Don't waste your time or money. Let's face it: films about ugly, ego-maniacal young Americans in Pamplona are a wasted effort. The story, told eons ago, doesn't bear repeating. Hemingway did it already, and he did it in a masterful way that the script writer for this film can never hope to match. This film might have been passably interesting had the story been about a critical juncture, occurring somewhere other than a stereotypically red and white bedecked Pamplona, in which the protagonist has to face real dilemmas far more profound than the tawdry "finding one's self" bromide tendered here. A DVD worth labeling and tossing as GARBAGE.