Merry Christmas guys! Start drinking because 2010 will be a very tough year. Swiner Flu deaths have...
Merry Christmas guys! Start drinking because 2010 will be a very tough year. Swiner Flu deaths have risen 10% world wide this week alone and Iran is in Obamas gunsight.
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Jacob Koller (Andres Pazus) is a grumpy old Jewish tailor, running a small business in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo, only his trusty charge-hand Marta (Mirella), tolerant of his curmudgeonly ways.
Jacobs’s mother has just died, caring for her in his small flat for the last months, meaning his brother, also owning a clothing business-this time in Brazil-will be coming over for the traditional Jewish service. Their relationship is opposites to say the least, the more out-going Herman (Jorge Bolani) intent on enjoying his brothers company, what ever each others mood.
The biggest problem Jacob has right now is he’s not married, very much a bachelor set in his ways. So to avoid the embarrassment of his brother getting one up on him he asks Marta if she will play wifey for his brother’s visit and funeral. The two haven’t met for ages so he thinks Herman will be none the wiser and so able to pull off the deception. Marta and Jacob are pretty much the odd couple at work anyway so she wont be doing anything more for him than she is now.
After the boys hook up, Herman doesn’t question the ‘arranged’ marriage, but is delighted with meeting Marta. Once mum is buried and the funeral done and dusted Herman invites them to join him in Brazil for a few days, deciding to drive back instead so to get to know Jacobs new wife. In this way he can make it up to his brother for not helping with the caring of their mum by giving him some sort of compensation. Not only that but Herman quite fancies his chances with Jacobs’s dour ‘pretendy’ wife, of which she is extremely flattered with the attention. Herman is particularly impressed with her ability to speak backwards. But its Marta’s loyalty to Jacob that will be the test for all, especially as far as maintaining the subterfuge goes.
---------Cast--------- Andrés Pazos.... Jacob Koller Mirella Pascual.... Marta Acuña Jorge Bolani.... Herman Koller Ana Katz.... Graciela, the young wife Daniel Hendler.... Martín, the young husband Verónica Perrotta.... Jacob’s worker 1 Mariana Velazques.... Jacob’s worker 2 ----------------------Thoughts------------------
I haven’t seen many Uruguayan films, in fact I don’t think I have seen any, but the one I have was pretty good. I presume it wouldn’t have arrived in the UK if it wasn’t any good. This one is unusual for Latin American cinema in that it’s quite dry and observational, over the usual quirky and sexual comedy from that saucy continent. It has an unexpected and groovy sound track too!
The big joke here is that suggested Jewish frugal mentality, the two brothers picking each other business methods apart to see who gets the best value, each engaging in subtle one-upmanship. It’s also about how apparently boring underlings are often the ones with hidden talents when given the chance to shine, many of us taking people at face value.
It’s nicely paced and you dont have to spend all day reading subtitles, facial expressions filling in the gaps etc, a film of few words. It is very specialist and arty though and so wont appeal to all. If you are doing Spanish at evening class this is a really good movie to practice it as the dialogue is quite sparse and simple, empathising the boring lives of the three incumbents. It’s all in the nuance here. Oh and the title? Well ‘Whisky’ refers to the request from the cameramen to speak that word with a smile for the various photo opportunities throughout the film; not heavy drinking like the dust cover of the DVD suggests. The comfortable run time of 88 minutes means you won’t need a booze break either.
---------------Additional features-------------
*Making off*
Subtitled conversation with the director is about as interesting as it sounds. Advanced Spanish students only!
*Deleted Scenes and Out-Take*
Subtitled extended and new scenes. Quite a lot of them and another film lurking on the cutting room floor.
*Directors Overview*
More from Senor Juan Pablo on his movie
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Production Year: 2000 - Drama - Director: Giuseppe Tornatore - Original Language: Italian - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Monica Bellucci, Giuseppe Sulfaro, Luciano Federico, Matilde Piana
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Internationally acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, 'Whiskey' is an intoxicating ... more
deadpan comedy reminiscent of the films of Aki Kaurismaki and Jim Jarmusch. Jacobo is a man of dull routine who arrives each day at his run-down sock factory at the ...
![Whisky [2004] [DVD]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78505621.jpg "Whisky [2004] [DVD]")
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