jcardoso Reviews

A Man of Principle (1984)

The definitive film about "La Violencia"

[7/10 · 24 May 2000]

Loosely translated as `Condors are not buried every day', Cóndores is by far the best Colombian film about political violence in the fifties. Colombian star Frank Ramírez masterly portrays León María Lozano, `El Cóndor', a conservative party member that becomes a ruthless killer of political opponents. Based on the bestseller novel from Gustavo Alvarez Gardeazábal.

Visa USA (1986)

A sincere and charming view of life in contemporary Colombia

[8/10 · 22 May 2000]

A warm and amusing portrait of small-town (and also big-city) life in contemporary Colombia, `Visa USA' tells the story of Adolpho (played with great charm by 80's heartthrob Armando Gutiérrez), a DJ that works in a supermarket in Sevilla, in the western Colombian province of Valle del Cauca, and his misadventures to obtain a much coveted visa that will allow him to emigrate to the US.

With a great supporting cast (fans of Marcela Agudelo can see one of her first on-screen appearances, here as Adolpho's down-to-earth girlfriend), `Visa USA' stands out as a fresh and sincere film on Colombia's every day life.

Confessing to Laura (1990)

Moving portrayal of different days in Colombia

[8/10 · 22 May 2000]

Unfortunately overlooked when first released in Colombia, `Confesión a Laura' (Confessing to Laura) is one of the most universally appealing, and at the same time, unmistakably Colombian films ever produced. The story occurs on April 9, 1948, a pivotal day on Colombian modern history, presidential candidate Jorge Eliécer Gaitán has been assassinated, riots and mayhem are all over Bogotá. An oppressed husband (Gustavo Londoño, in the best performance of his beautiful career) has to spend the day at Laura's home (Vicky Hernández), a lonely, mature schoolteacher.

With a direct homage to Ettore Scola's `An Special Day', it reflects on great universal themes such as love, lost opportunities, tango and Humphrey Bogart.