Bombón: El Perro

This is the story of a man and his dog, a story acted out on two backdrops: One is the depressing socio-economic situation of Argentina, where jobs are few and far between and life becomes an eternal quest for a few pesos, a job, dignity. The other backdrop is the harsh but grand nature of Patagonia, windswept vistas, arid land, cold air and a strong sun beating down on the expansive landscape.

Coco is looking for a job and a living. He's single, 55'ish and staying at his daughter's place, trying to not be in the way, and trying to help out, but unable to aid the family economically. He is a good man, willing to work but not to be unjust in his dealings with other unfortunate people.

One day he selflessly helps a woman stranded on a deserted road with a broken-down car. As a thank you he is offered the huge dog of her deceased father: He accepts it, little knowing how it will change his life.

The basic premise of this movie is that if you're a good person, you will be rewarded. Knowing that reality in a country like Argentina is very far from this, we - as spectators - always fear that Coco will be cheated by somebody.

The movie progresses at a slow, deliberate pace, reflecting the immobility of Patagonian life. More than a story, because there is actually not much of a story told, it gives us an ambiance, a feeling for the life of people in these southern regions of Argentina. It is a beautiful anthropological document, even more so because the protagonists are completely believable, despite (or maybe because of) the fact that they aren't even played by professional actors.

Recommended as a sweet, small movie for a quiet evening.

I wasn't expecting a lot form this movie when I first bought the ticket. However the story of the mechanic whose life changed after owning a very special breed of dog turned out to be rather interesting one. The main character Coco needs to be commended for his astonishing work. His facial expressions in almost every single shot carried out some aspect of his character's naive nature. Even though the story doesn't end with a very striking ending, it can't be considered as a slowly paced one. The shot with the machines and Coco's car, where Coco is riding in the fields of the factory is a very good one indeed. Other than that, the technical aspects such as the color and the sound add a lot to the movie's close to real atmosphere.

A mild-mannered middle-aged man who has lost his job as a mechanic struggles to make ends meet while living with his daughter's family. After he helps out a woman whose car has broken down, he receives as a gift a pedigree dog. Through a chance meeting, he winds up being drawn into the less than perfect world of dog shows and breeding. Villegas, the main character, seems an innocent in this world, and his trusting nature and desire to make a better life for himself make him the victim of an unscrupulous trainer. But it is his kindness and his affection for the dog that shine through all the adversity. The film's greatest attributes are the minimalist performances by the entire cast and the simple telling of the story. Heartwarming and human.

Coco, an unemployed 52 year old mechanic,lives with his daughter in her small, chaotic family home. Poor and unable to find a job he spends his time selling knives whose handles he has specially crafted. One day he stops to help a woman whose car has broken down by towing her 150 km to her parents home. Here he fixes her car and as payment he is given a large but rather beautiful dog called Bombom by her mother. From here Coco's life changes as he meets Walter Donado who trains him to be a dog handler with the belief that Bombom will win them lots of prizes at dog shows.

A really pleasant way to spend a Monday evening. I was astonished at the acting ability of this inexperienced group, especially the lead Juan Villegas whose kindly face was quite captivating. The story was simple, effective, humorous and kept me intrigued throughout. The Argentinan landscape was a pleasant, if at times bleak, one.

I really enjoyed this film experience and highly recommend it to others.

Released in the UK with the title of Bombón (El Perro), this is a lovely little movie. Although life is hard, the characters in the story show that love, joy and friendship can be found - often in the most unexpected places. Contrary to my expectations, it was not a simple tale of "man meets dog and together they form an inseparable bond that brings them through many hardships" but rather a more subtle and involved tale that gave you deeper insight into the life of the main character Coco Villegas. Although lacking Hollywood attention grabbers, the film keeps you constantly engaged and finishes with a twist that helps you leave with a smile.