Valentin Movie Review:


Warm and funny, this engaging Argentine drama has an almost fable-like quality that disarms us completely. It's the early 1960s and the precocious, cross-eyed 8-year-old Valentin (Noya) desperately wants to be an astronaut, perhaps because his life on earth hasn't been too happy. When his mother walked out, his fast-talking father (Agresti) left him to live with his feisty grandmother (Maura). Life is a daily adventure for the incredibly curious and thoughtful Valentin! And family is almost as big an obsession as space, so he sets about building one from a neighbour (Urtizberea) and his father's latest girlfriend (Cardinali), with whom he confides just a bit too freely. He's also got an uncle (Noher) who lives a long way away, and a best friend (Di Gregorio) whose parents are almost perfect, but what he really wants is a parent of his own!

The film is narrated by Valentin in a winningly cheeky style that remains firmly 8 years old, but gives us a glimpse into the workings of his curious mind. It's a very clever screenplay that somehow manages to be both hilariously funny and surprisingly poignant at the same time. Meanwhile, Agresti's lively and warm visual style also somehow conveys a raw honesty that continually catches us off guard with its astute observations and vivid characterisations. There's a sad melancholy running under the film--it's never depressing, but it doesn't shy away from the dark side of things. Valentin's voyage of discovery takes on real meaning as it progresses ... and as he discovers difficult truths about the people around him, he happily expands his worldview to fit everything together. All of the characters are a bit off centre, and each is played so brilliantly that you can't imagine another cast (and you dread the inevitable American remake). It's rare to find a film that's so sharp and sweet at the same time. This is one to look out for.

Rich Cline

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