Glue (2006) User Reviews

Beautiful movie about the life of teenagers in Patagonia

[ericusmaximus · 7/10 · 3 February 2006]

I've recently seen this movie at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by this movie.

Glue is a movie about Lucas, a fifteen year old boy living in a desert town in Patagonia ( Argentina) and his friends Nacho and Andrea. Lucas' parents' relationship is pretty unstable, but he doesn't want to be confronted with it. So he decides to spend his time hanging out with his friends, just talking about life and experimenting with drugs and sex.

Glue is a beautiful film about coming of age in the windy, desert-like outskirts of Patagonia. This movie is filmed with a very low budget and is very minimalistic, but it nevertheless succeeds to present very beautifully shot images in which we are granted a peek into the life of teenagers growing up. All the major themes are represented: Love, sex, drugs and music. This movie presents a universally identifiable view on teenagers.

If you have also seen this movie and enjoyed it, I recommend watching 'temporada de patos'. It is like a lighter version of this movie.

Wake Me When It's Over

[scandojazzbuff · 5/10 · 5 October 2007]

If the point of the movie was suburban teenagers bored to distraction, then it achieved its purpose quite well. The problem with this is it also bores the viewer to distraction. Telling a story cinematically doesn't achieve its end with visual gimmicks alone like cross processed film and home movie additions without backing the story up with dialog that the viewer (those over 15 years of age) can relate to. This type of adolescent story has been done over and over again and for me, this film doesn't achieve anywhere near the rating this site has given it.

The story itself seems to meander at its own pace using the absence of dialog to set the mood. In a sense, this seems to be in step with the emotional life of teenagers where dialog is at a minimum and the expression of emotion is not fully formed. This was a realistic way of portraying the subjects and the kids did a good job of bringing this off.

A Realistic Look at Whisky Tango of Argentina

[Coralknight · 6/10 · 21 October 2017]

Although not specifically stated, the film is set in Neuquen, Argentina's "outback" in what is most likely the 1980s (judging from the music) or possibly the 90s. So, no cell-phones, web-cams or any of the modern amenities one would have expected of kids today. Instead, we see a very raw, realistic look at bored, awkward kids in what appear to be their early teens. I have to be honest that I will watch almost any story about Argentina. However, given the tendency towards shock-value in most modern films, I wasn't surprised by the constant, unfortunate references to masturbation (yes...we get it...teens do that. But why the constant need to emphasize it? Nothing new there). For me, the redeeming side was the interaction between the three protagonists...that is, when they weren't groping each other. In fact, I was honestly put off by the blatant exploitation of the female protagonist's body, and had to check to see how old she was at the time it was made (apparently 20, but still...I found it unsettling as they made her look WAY too young). I can say this film kept my interest, but then again, as I said previously, I'll watch almost anything that comes from Argentina.

Teenage desire in the middle of nowhere...

[atlantis2006 · 5 November 2010]

Alexis Dos Santos' Glue is an unpredictable film: surprising twists at the end would have been utterly unnecessary. This is not a story that needs to be resolved. It finds resolution in its own wandering narrative lines that intercross with each other and sometimes build up into new plots and sometimes just vanish into the seemingly vague introspective monologue of the main characters.

Alexis Dos Santos creates a very interesting protagonist. A young boy that cannot yet define what it is he wants. A boy that can stare at the abyss without worrying about the abyss staring back at him (and in that sense, just like with Nietzsche's phrase, there is a full reaffirmation of life without going through the usual passages or topics). Lucas is a boy that notices with a strange fascination the hair protruding out of his best friend's armpit and wonders what the other boy might think of when indulging in solitary sexual stimulation.

Michel Foucault's affirms that fantasizing must be taken into account if one intends to understand masturbation; in Foucault's terms, masturbation is impossible without the subject's fantasy; and it's because of this fantasy more than the act itself that people in the Victorian age tried, by any means possible, to eradicate onanism. Nonetheless, the viewer cannot be privy to Lucas' fantasies when he engages into such activities. Is it then the fantasy that works as the Aristotelian primus motor that leads Lucas acts? And if so, what is Lucas constantly fantasizing about? Lucas also thinks about what it means to be a man, and why is it that a man must act according to some unwritten and yet fully endorsed social law. Andrea, a friend of his, also asks herself why it is that some activities are considered masculine while others aren't, she questions gender differences and sees how arbitrary they can be. Destabilizing Lacan's masculine and feminine positions, both characters undermine the core of it all: the name of the father. It's the name of the father, or nom de père, that inscribes a subject into the symbolic order and inserts him into either the masculine or the feminine position. It's no surprise, then, to see that Lucas at first tries to eliminate his father from his life (a father who is already an absent figure, a situation that occurs with the rest of the characters as well).

Can Lucas and his best friend Nacho continue to be friends despite Lucas hidden desire? It would seem like it as long as the friendship is structured upon an overtly heterosexual dynamic. This dynamic will be interrupted one night in which some boundaries are crossed and as a result Nacho feels guilty and decides to leave Lucas alone.

As soon as the father reinserts himself into Lucas life, the nom de père settles in. Lucas discovers inadvertently that it is not his mission to undermine the structures but to take advantage of them. And conquering Andrea's affections he also regains Nacho's interest. Then only through Andrea's body will Lucas be able to enjoy Nacho's body. When this most peculiar ménage a troi is carried out masturbation is no longer necessary, but even with the other body Lucas is still forced to sustain the fantasy that has led him from the very beginning.

Growing pains in a distant Patagonian township

[BeneCumb · 6/10 · 4 August 2015]

Passing puberty is seldom even, and current technological solutions enhance wishes and desires regardless of actual location; true, in more distant and deserted areas the options to fulfill them are more limited. Such an environment we see in Glue - Historia adolescente en medio de la nada, where, through the views and deeds of 16 or something year-olds Lucas, Andrea, and Nacho we get a picture how teens become adults in the Patagonian part of Argentina. Longing for sex and love, drugs or their substitutes, alcohol, cigarettes, making music - rather universal elements, but still boosted by remoteness and sameness.

The adolescent performances (particularly Lucas (Nahuel Biscayart) Andrea (Inés Efron)) and direction are definitely above average, but the script - or its intentional inconsistency - leaves to be desired. There are some intriguing moments, but they are not developed, and the general result is somewhat arid and trivial. Camera-work and the choice of music are probably the strongest features of this film.

So, not a conceptual creation, but still an okay change for English-speaking films so widely spread and distributed.

Cinematic glass of water set in the sweltering deserts of Patagonia

[sahv · 9/10 · 11 February 2006]

I saw this film as it premiered at the Rotterdam Festival. It is a beautifully judged rendering of a teenager's dysfunctional life at home and sexual experimentation with friends. Every scene is perfectly pitched and rife with playful directorial invention such as the main character's (Lucas?) idle toying with the 'monkey with banana' toy in the girl's bedroom and the 'open/closed' game and his mother's English lesson earlier - there are many examples. The direction of the subject matter is fresh, sensitive, mature and never contrived, indulgent or heavy handed. The camera work is some of the best DV work I've ever seen, artful, free, fluid and instinctive.

Most impressive is how every role is perfectly cast, particularly the teenagers (although I may have had initial reservations about the father, I was sufficiently convinced by the end). The central character is realised by a soulful performance from the beautiful quirky looking actor. He has the most subtly expressive face, at once mischievous and vulnerable.

It is a fine fearless debut brimming with talent, good taste and a big beating heart that transcends it's meagre budget.

Total absence of a script makes it boring

[swekarl · 4/10 · 21 April 2008]

I really didn't want to dis this movie, because the acting/directing was great and the movie does succeed in capturing the teenage vibe, despite the male actors look a little older than 16 to me (still very cute though).

What makes me rate it a 4 is the total absence of a script. There is no depth of characters, no character development, no conflict. I don't mind experimental storytelling as long as I'm engaged and care for the characters. You don't in this movie and I found myself thinking like scandojazzbuff - wake me up when it's over.

The Gus Van Sant style rather annoyed than impressed me - that's how all alternative coming of age movies look like.

It seems to me many film makers want to both write and direct their movies. If you're not Woody Allen and can pull it off, maybe it would be a good idea to use that old thing called a scriptwriter.

A bit rough, but well done

[cairopunk-1 · 8/10 · 18 February 2008]

Although the film does drag in places and there are scenes that really don't connect to the story line (e.g. the camping trip), I'm impressed by the overall coherence of the structure given its improvisational approach. The cast were excellent in portraying the ennui of adolescents in the middle of nowhere (to steal the film's subtitle), and if anything, the acting is understated--a rarity for the form. The cinematography, though, is what really impressed me. Not radically original by any stretch (the opening sequence reminded me of Van Sant), but effective in setting the mood of the piece.

What struck me most is the impressionistic nature of the film and how the fragments coalesce into the whole, which is something that rarely works for me. I'll use this in my creative writing classes to teach this impressionistic approach, but for narrative structure, I must go back to more conventional films, like "Y Tu Mama Tambien."

Hmmm.... the concept was good, but the execution was tiresome

[rockdacasbah · 4/10 · 14 September 2006]

I just saw this at the Toronto International Film Festival, and although I had high hopes, I didn't love it. The concept is good and should have worked - i.e. the frenetic and disjointed experience of teenage realities in remote Argentina being translated cinematically by alternating concentration on both the mundane and the exciting, using a lot of guerrilla hand-held camera work, solarized post-production, random cuts and stop-motion editing of the film. But the end product appears weak... at one point my friend said "I don't think I can stand another abstract, hand-held, blurry, close-up - its making me dizzy." The pacing of the film is really slow too. But I agree with some of the above comments - there are moments that are very sweet/naive - a total immersion into the teenage experience.

Larry Clark in Spanish, but sweet and non-judgmental

[larry-411 · 9/10 · 27 September 2006]

I attended the North American premiere of "Glue" at the Toronto International Film Festival. In a phrase, it's Larry Clark meets Gus Van Sant. But I say that in only the most complimentary of terms. The camera basically follows a 15-year old as he discovers himself. He wonders about his physical development, compares himself to his buddy, and begins to explore his sexuality. The barren expanse of Patagonia is the backdrop, the music of The Violent Femmes (who donated the songs gratis) the appropriately angst-ridden soundtrack.

What makes it so different from most American films is that it's all just so natural. No judgments are made. We only observe through the lens of cinematographer Natasha Braier, as well as writer/director/producer Alexis Dos Santos, who did much of the camera-work himself. It's basically about mid-adolescence told, via voice-over, from the point of view of Lucas (Nahuel Perez Biscayart). Most amazingly, the entire film is improvised. Dos Santos held a Q&A afterward and said that he wrote virtually no dialog at all. There was a 17-page script basically outlining the action. But the three lead actors improvised from start to finish. As it turns out, all three had attended the same acting classes where they learned improv, so they were well-versed in the art and were already friends. And it shows. The chemistry between the teens evokes those awkward years as effectively as any film I've seen.

I asked Nahuel what his most difficult scene was and what was his favorite. I won't get too specific, but he most enjoyed some of the more physical aspects of the relationships he develops with his friends. He was quite honest and his matter-of-fact attitude was endearing. I met him afterward and he was polite and self-confident. When I walked up and told him what a good job he did, he thanked me with the look of a pro. He is from Argentina but speaks decent English. In spite of his young age, he has done 9 films and is something of a teen idol in South America. In the States he'd likely be one of the most sought-after young actors in the business.

If coming-of-age films have become a bit worn in the hands of Hollywood, "Glue" will serve as inspiration and provocation to American filmmakers. It's Larry Clark in Spanish. But sweet and non-judgmental. It will leave you with a smile on your face.

Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit huffing glue

[jet66 · 4/10 · 29 March 2013]

If you enjoy the beauty of well-crafted post-production visual effects lulling you to a hypnotic stupor, then this is the undemanding film for you. If not, you could also catch up on your email while pretending to watch it. Either way, you know that a talented After Effects artist made a day-rate to slap on all the aesthetic milestones of the late 90s - from jittery faux 8MM to film burn, dust and plenty of noise.

As if spawn from Gus Van Sant's forehead, this movie follows attractive faux-teens around as they awkwardly attempt to converse through unscripted dialogue. On the plus side, all of these 20-somethings are talented actors, and they push through this sorry morass of nothing like knives through hot, buttery glue. On the other hand, like sailing through a sea of mucilaginous kreplach, it takes just short of forever to putter through to something like a narrative conclusion. But make no mistake - the termination of what passes for a story in "Glue" is not a climax, but more of a but an exhausted collapse. With little in the way of dialogue to pollute the vacuum of story in this movie, it's a wonder any of the actors didn't fall to its toxic tediousness.

Glue - Historia adolescente en medio de la nada

[aboutscripts · 10/10 · 17 November 2008]

Director dos Santos takes us through the beautifully common streets of Patagonia (Argentina) alongside three teenagers, where none is a genius, a serial killer or has an issue other than being a teenager living, as the Spanish title points out, in the middle of nowhere.

Nahuel Pérez Biscayart stars in a powerful performance as Lucas, a 15-year-old boy eager for a first sexual encounter, while surviving teen boredom hanging out with his best friend Nacho (Nahuel Viale) and quiet pal Andrea (Inés Efron, XXY), in whom he soon discovers the possibility of pleasure, unaware she's every bit a hormone clock-ticking bomb as he is. In their company he escapes a day at a time from what he perceives is his alienated family (a mother who teaches English in the morning, fights her husband's lover in the evening and screams at the man at night, only to forgive the following day and go out camping).

The fact that no dialogue was ever written in the script (a less than 20 pages long document) is a strong plus, considering all lead actors speak what they really think about being teens and feeling unimportant toward the world around them, which, in a very rare way results in accidental poetry, where no love or roses are cited. They want what every viewer once wanted, when being fifteen, and ask themselves the questions we all asked ourselves when we were young and restless. They remind us of that beauty we tend to ignore in our every day lives; the uniqueness of what our ordinary lives were.

Another fine side to the film is the carefully set soundtrack, which fits in perfect unison with Natasha Braier's cinematography and Lucas's wannabe singer aspirations, as well with the many silent minutes where one would think Glue is about to turn into a silent movie only to be pleasantly surprised by one of the character's sometimes groggy, sometimes wishful voices.

Some may wrongly consider Glue as gay cinema, since it has been shown at several gay film festivals. But the movie is not gay-oriented, nor does it have to do anything about being gay in Latin America. The movie is about being an adolescent and the feeling of being one, of knowing and not knowing what you really want and who you are. What this characters do is not exactly what we all did at our own times, or still do, for every person has a different story to tell, a different party to talk about, a different kiss to remember, but it captures the essence and wonders of teenagers today with bravura and honesty. As the US trailer says, it's not about the experience, but experiences. And watching Glue has been an exhilarating one.

tthomas

A surprisingly good film

[KobusAdAstra · 8/10 · 20 October 2016]

We get a realistic view of the turmoil three teenagers experience as they become young adults.

Lucas's adulterous father got kicked out of their house in a small town in rural Patagonia, and forced to move to the city after one too many sexual escapades with the "fat cow", as Lucas's mother called the loose woman during a physical altercation.

Lucas writes songs for the band in which he is a vocalist, and can rarely be seen without a walkman and earphones. His buddy Nacho is also in the band. Both 16-year-olds are randy as can get and dream of having a go at girls, or so they pretend. Andrea, a bespectacled chick in their neighbourhood, also has secret romantic fantasies. The two lads are rebellious and test the boundaries. One weekend they travel to the city, and have a gigglingly good time sniffing glue. It is suggested that while high they furtively grope each other. Back in their hometown the two young men have a successful performance of one of their songs, and in the post-performance euphoria they get drunk, and involve a tipsy Andrea in mutual hugging. In a well-executed scene we are presented with ambiguous footage, where the boundaries between choices of sexual partners become diffuse, without bothering any of the partners. The three are growing up and finding out who they really are.

The strongest point of this film is the cinematography. The cinematographers largely made use of hand-held camera techniques - and take note I am generally not a great fan of hand-held footage, except perhaps during running and chase sequences. In this case it works extremely well. Parts of the film is taken with a filter giving it a 1960s colour and feel. The same applies to some footage which just as well could have been taken with a 8mm movie camera from the same period. A few scenes were taken at slow speed, e.g. those of the party with semi-intoxicated dancers, giving it a dreamlike feeling.

Furthermore, excellent acting by the protagonists and a great soundtrack made watching this Coming-of-Age film an exhilarating experience. 7.5/10.

Summer memories and Violent Femmes...

[DukeEman · 8/10 · 10 July 2019]

The Argentinian, GLUE (2006), brought me back memories of long hot summer days of just roaming around your hood, seeking distractions from the harsh realities. On this journey we follow the mischievous and unsettling, Lucas (another fine performance from Biscayart who was astounding in BPM). Apart from family issues and deciphering his sexuality, he enjoys glue and Violent Femmes. Director, Alexis Dos Santos, goes for the observational touch, allowing the actors to improvise and events to unfold naturally. The movie plays out like the aimlessly Lucas, with no real direction or purpose, but that of understanding the complexities of dealing with what is on offer in life as a teenager.