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Maldonado has a crisp presence as this intense young man. It's a full-bodied performance that's complex and engaging, drawing us in as he begins to flex his power. He holds his own strongly opposite the always excellent Castro, who is provocatively relaxed as Potro, the cock of the walk. Although the guards remind him who's in charge. Castro also beautifully plays Potro's underlying insecurity as his authority is threatened by Jaime, as well as Che Pibe and Rucio, played with charismatic confidence by Pauls and Balmaceda.

Munoz has a terrific eye for detail, catching glimpses of internalised thoughts and feelings in unexpected places. He skilfully shifts imagery from squalid to raw beauty, allowing the viewer to experience a collision of senses. And connections between the characters are continually shifting in unexpected directions that defy the genre, finding tenderness and humour even in some very rough moments. It's a remarkably earthy film, so visceral that it already feels like a timeless classic.

themes, language, sexuality, violence

10.Jun.20

In an almost wordless performance, Garcia reveals Memo's inner journey with engaging nuance, skilfully deploying his gentle-hulk presence. Watching him light up when he sings or dances is lovely, and his visceral reaction when his past is exposed is (ahem!) gut-wrenching. His climactic moments are simply astonishing. Both Lobos and Gnecco are terrific opposite him, evoking gorgeous interconnections; Goic brings some shocking edge as Memo's showbiz dad; and Pauls adds superb layers of meaning later on.

The story develops its tension lyrically, never playing up the sensationalism that that begins to swirl around Memo. This allows the film to gently touch on much bigger themes, from the unfair nature of fame to more internalised issues of bullying and self-expression. The plot continues to shift in the final act, adding further complications and finding difficult truths. Memo needs to realise that the fantasy in his mind is actually his reality, while hiding himself in a hermit-like existence is what's fake.

themes, language, violence

25.Jun.20

None of the cast members seem to be acting, playing the roles as real, messy people who are largely oblivious of their flaws. So Addi impressively never once tries to brush away Ahmed's thought processes, simply inhabiting this over-serious boy and his carefully constructed belief system, which feeds into how he reacts to everything others say to him. His most fascinating interaction is with Louise (Bluck), a girl his age whose curiosity about him begins to whittle away at his armour.

With the Dardennes' casual, offhanded approach, there are moments in this film that raise almost unbearable levels of churning suspense. And there's also a gnawing sense that the social system is simply unable to see the turmoil in Ahmed's mind. In this sense the film never even attempts to offer an answer to the enormous question it raises. But it does come to a head several times, as Ahmed's wilfully warped version of Islam leads him to treat himself and others in heart-stopping ways. And he's still just a boy.

themes, language, violence

16.Jun.20