Bombón: El Perro

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.

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.

what a lovely, lovely film.

bleak and beautiful, desperate and hopeful.

i personally have a real problem watching movies that have dogs as main characters... my empathy is totally with the dog - i can rarely care less what happens to the people as long as nothing bad happens to the dog. quite a turn up then when i find myself desperately rooting for coco, bombom's new owner, lost in his new world of dog showing, naive and ripe for the picking...

brilliant movie, go see it, go buy it. don't wait for the nicholson and hooch Hollywood remake!

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.

A captivating story told in a subtle naturalistic cinematic style. A largely novice cast give fine performances. Special mention should be made of Juan Villegas' portrayal of the main character 'Coco'; a good-hearted and modest ex-gas-station attendant who is vainly looking for work doing "simple mechanics". Coco's journey is engrossing and leads the viewer in an understated manner through the social landscapes of unemployment, poverty and inequality to the quaint world of dog exhibiting, whilst all the time the natural and industrial landscapes of Patagonia (beautifully filmed by Hugo Colace) serve to provide a sometimes bleak and sometimes beautiful visual canvas.

The characters he meets, from the boastful dog-trainer to the empathetic restaurant-singer, are finely drawn and are often contrasted against Coco's simplicity and naivity. Unlike some I didn't find the ending a disappointment - I'd say that it proved a fitting climax.

This gem of a film has many facets. As a foreign viewer I found wit, pathos and charm aplenty. I found a world that was believable, at turns hauntingly sad and others full of kindness and hope; characters that I cared about and whose story I wanted to follow.

And then of course there is Bombon! a dog of impeccable pedigree who fills the screen (literally) and who is the catalyst in Coco's life... he should be the canine manifestation of Latin American machismo but he has an effeminate name and questionable libido...

Fine score by Nicolas Sorin - beautiful and never irritating or obtrusive. Worth viewing on the big screen but if you don't then definitely get hold of this film on DVD.