willpageauthor
Joined Mar 2016
Badges2
To learn how to earn badges, go to the badges help page.
Ratings213
willpageauthor's rating
Reviews14
willpageauthor's rating
It's dark, gripping and very creepy. As with other reviews, the word thriller isn't quite right, but creepy is closer to the truth. You are literally shaking during some of the scenes. The acting is top-drawer from the entire cast, old and young. The scenery means you dial in from the opening sequence to the closing credits. And the way it was shot, with cold colours, means you move in with the Doctor to the guest home. All that said and done, I want to give a special mention to Elena Roger who plays Nora Eldoc superbly - from the moment she enters the screen you are locked in with suspicion and intrigue. She's that good, the film doesn't give her enough time which is one of the drawbacks. There has to be (or maybe there already is) a sequel with Nora Eldoc's story.
The size of cast, production budget and costumes alone help get scores on the board when ranking this drama. Perhaps once of the best 'costume' efforts I've ever seen, as you develop a sense of anticipation to be stunned by the fashion in every new scene. Now I haven't seen Downtown Abbey to compare, but the size of cast and standard of acting is strong across the board. Two drawbacks: first, the music is misplaced: it crowds out as opposed to complementing the drama. Second, the storyline needs to be allowed to breathe more - it can feel cluttered and condensed.
I could easily run out of superlatives for this biopic of Carlos Saúl Menem. I don't know how Argentina continues to deliver films and dramas of a standard that Hollywood can't touch. And this one does it so well, and without Ricardo Darin.
Leonardo Sbaraglia doesn't just place Carlos Saúl Menem, I've got a strong sense that behind the camera he actually became him. The sustained pauses, supressed smile and wandering eye - this is on par with Ian Richardson in Hose of Cards. That good.
Juan Minujín plays the alternative lead role of Olegario Salas and his natural (and narrow) endearing facial expression means he doesn't need to act. This is a combination that carries you through Argentina's most tumultuous political era.
More? The music, the editing and especially the way they integrate real 'grainy' footage of that era into the drama - I've not seen it does as well as this ever before. It's so effective, there's points where you think it is the real thing.
I don't like giving tens on IMDb but this one came out of nowhere and knocked me out.
Leonardo Sbaraglia doesn't just place Carlos Saúl Menem, I've got a strong sense that behind the camera he actually became him. The sustained pauses, supressed smile and wandering eye - this is on par with Ian Richardson in Hose of Cards. That good.
Juan Minujín plays the alternative lead role of Olegario Salas and his natural (and narrow) endearing facial expression means he doesn't need to act. This is a combination that carries you through Argentina's most tumultuous political era.
More? The music, the editing and especially the way they integrate real 'grainy' footage of that era into the drama - I've not seen it does as well as this ever before. It's so effective, there's points where you think it is the real thing.
I don't like giving tens on IMDb but this one came out of nowhere and knocked me out.
Insights
willpageauthor's rating