My Review: Corazon de Leon (7/10)

"All of a sudden you turned into a Snow White."

Corazon de Leon, which translated in english means Heart of a Lion, is a very funny romantic comedy that also delivers an important message about social prejudice. Yes, it is formulaic and is full of cliches, but at the same time it has a lot of heart and works thanks to two great performances from Guillermo Francella and Julieta Diaz. Francella had a memorable role in the Oscar winning The Secret in Their Eyes, and once again he stands out in this comedy. Julieta Diaz, however had an even more difficult role because she was the conflicted character who had to walk a fine line between remaining likable to the audience while at the same time struggling with her inner self and getting past any prejudice she could have. It would've been very easy to dislike a character like this, but Julieta Diaz handles it with grace and somehow she remains a likable character and shares an excellent chemistry with Francella. The theme of social prejudice has been handled before in many films, but I don't know if it has been done better than in this film. Between all the laughs and funny moments there are also some very serious and touching moments dealing with this inner conflict of accepting someone for who they are on the inside. The Farrelly brothers dealt with it in Shallow Hal, but without the same effect that Corazon de Leon has. This time the social prejudice has to do with height, since Diaz's character falls for a man who is only 4 and a half feet tall. Behind all the laughs and funny gags there is a serious underlying tone about how ridiculous our social norms are. This prejudice exists and is very alive in all of us, despite us not realizing it. The film works not only in making the audience laugh but in making us think about the ridiculous standards we have made up as a society in what we consider as normal.

Ivana Cornejo (Julieta Diaz) is a lawyer who shares a law firm with her associate Diego (Mauricio Dayub) who also happened to be her ex husband. They've been separated for the last 3 years. One night she receives a phone call from a man named Leon (Guillermo Francella) who has found her lost cell phone (which she actually tossed in a park after a heated discussion with her ex over the phone) and is offering to return it to her. The two have a very interesting conversation considering Leon has a great personality and is very charming. The two agree to meet each other the next day and when they do, Ivana is surprised to see that Leon is actually a dwarf. Her shock is apparent and Leon understand, but somehow he convinces her to go on a date with her. What Leon lacks in height, he has in personality. He seems to be the perfect man, and Ivana loves being around him, but she also feels conflicted because of the way people look at them in public. As they begin to grow closer and closer, she also realizes she has some prejudice towards him as she tries to keep him away from her circle of friends. This conflict is the heart of the story since the two seem to be perfect for each other, the problem being trying to overcome her prejudice.

If it weren't for all the cliches in this film, this could've been much better, but I still think it stands out as a fun comedy from Argentina. I would definitely recommend this for the great performances and sincere direction from Marcos Carnevale who wasn't afraid to get dramatic and serious when he had to. In that sense it works much better than other comedies that try to send a positive message about social prejudice. The screenplay worked well with very strong characters and a good supporting cast including Guillermo Francella's son, Nicolas playing the same role in the film, Jorgelina Aruzzi playing Ivana's secretary, and Nora Carpena playing her mother. I was laughing out loud during several scenes in this film, and despite knowing where the film was heading I still had a fun time. One may argue that Francella's character was one dimensional in the sense that he didn't have any flaws and was perfect, but I think it was necessary in a film like this focusing on the prejudice we have towards others only based on their physical appearance. The conflict was basically based on this issue, because everything else about this person was flawless.

My Review: El Secreto de Sus Ojos (9/10)

¨There is a lot of things that a man can change his mind about, but never his passion¨

(9/10)El Secreto de Sus Ojos, which translated means The Secret in Their Eyes, is an Argentinean film that has recently been nominated for an Oscar in the best foreign movie category. Juan Jose Campanella (who also directed Luna de Avellaneda and El Hijo de la Novia, along with many Law and Order and House MD television episodes) directs this thriller which has been a box office hit in Argentina. It has also received a lot of critical acclaim because of the way the story is told in non-linear form and it also has some great performances from the entire cast; but what makes this movie so much better is the clever ending because in order for a thriller to work you need to have a decent ending and this movie has a great one. The entire build up to the finale is just sensational and the movie doesn´t drag for one minute during the entire two hours the movie lasts. It mixes romance with action and drama with suspense and balances them all very well. There is one specific action scene in a soccer stadium where a chase takes place that is just breathtaking. I haven`t seen an Argentinean movie so good since Nueve Reinas (Nine Queens). This movie is very clever and I recommend you seeing it in its original language (Spanish) because the performances are so good and the dialogues are so real (If you`ve been to Argentina you know most of the conversations take place in the exact same manner, it just has a very authentic feel to it).

The movie takes place in 1999 and we are introduced to Benjamin Esposito, played by the very famous Argentinean actor Ricardo Darin (Nueve Reinas, El Hijo de La Novia, and El Aura). He is a retired federal justice agent who is trying to write a novel during his free time about a case that happened 25 years ago and that dramatically changed his life. He decides to visit his ex coworker Irene Menendez-Hastings, played by Soledad Villamil (No Sos Vos, Soy Yo) and tells her about his plans. Both of them get together and discuss about the Morales case which occurred in 1974. The movie is non linear because while Benjamin writes the story we are transported to the past and we experience it while it is actually happening. He is working at the federal agency and Irene has just been introduced to them as the new chief of the department. His co worker and best friend is Pablo Sandoval, played by the extremely funny Guillermo Francella (Rudo y Cursi). One of the first cases they have to take with Irene as their boss is a difficult one in which a young woman has been brutally raped and murdered at her home. They inform the newly widowed husband, Ricardo Morales played by Pablo Rago, about the terrible news. He is devastated and Benjamin is so stunned about the way that this man loved his wife (he later tells Irene that he has never seen so much love through the eyes of someone) that he promises to help him catch the killer. After viewing some photographs of the victim`s past he finds a suspect, a childhood friend of hers named Isidro Gomez, played by Javier Godino (Deception and Kisses For Everyone). The chase begins and the movie develops from this point on jumping from 1974 to 1999 as Benjamin is writing the novel and trying to close a case that has been left open for more than 25 years.

El Secreto de Sus Ojos is a great movie which will have you at the edge of your seat at some moments and laughing your heart out at others. It also has some romance due to the interrupted love between Benjamin and Irene, so it is a movie that everyone can enjoy. It is a great story and Juan Jose Campanella does a great job of jumping back and forth during the movie in order to keep the audience`s attention. The tension grows as the minutes pass and the mystery isn`t entirely solved until the very end. I found the ending to be very clever and quite original because without a good ending this movie could have been easily forgotten. The true heart of this film is the story which has been adapted from the novel La Pregunta de Sus Ojos by Eduardo Sacheri, and the way in which the director is able to put all the pieces together in the movie. The acting in this movie is also superb. Ricardo Darin is great and Soledad Villamil also gives a good performance, but it is Guillermo Francella who really steals every single scene he is in. He is extremely funny and I think his performance is one of the best I`ve seen this year, his character just fit him perfectly. This is a great film and well deserving of an Oscar although I haven´t seen the other movies that are competing in this category. Whether it wins or not, this is a movie you won`t want to miss.