I will not completely summarize the plot since so many have done this well in these reviews. And although I clicked the spoiler alert I prefer not to spoil the movie's resolution.
The main character is a man who we slowly learn has known loneliness and abandonment in his life. From Antonio's cheery, direct face as he relates to others we might not know that he is in need of another person. He meets Maria and we begin to see Antonio coming to the surface. At first he relates to us, the audience, through the persona of a science fiction character named Morgan. He finds it easier to explain his feelings of detachment through the fictionalized concept of being an alien on another planet. At first I actually found this to be off-putting. But it works. And his feet finally do find the ground. The point that I found to be the most telling about him and about the raison d'etre of the plot came about near the end as Antonio spoke with his employer about the duties of a chauffeur. Knowing when to speak was the number one ability. But secondly Antonio mentioned that in difficult situations he should find a way out. "There's always a solution" he concluded. That gave me his personality. He focuses on fixing. That is the direction he moves in.
I enjoyed the way the story was told. There were times that the camera would follow someone outside the story, and we would notice that Antonio watched life seemingly from actual interest. If we were to project what Antonio might do when he "grows up" it would probably be as a writer, or a filmmaker.
The acting and direction were excellent. The script was real, and spare. These seemed like real people. One of the reviews here criticizes the ending as though it didn't follow the course we expected. I can see why a viewer might feel this way. But endings can be beginnings. It does seem that the term "realism" implies a less than happy ending. With the huge popularity of dystopian prognostications in film I can understand why most people prefer a jaded POV.
I cannot think of a film that supposes the future as an extension of the things that work well in society.
The main character is a man who we slowly learn has known loneliness and abandonment in his life. From Antonio's cheery, direct face as he relates to others we might not know that he is in need of another person. He meets Maria and we begin to see Antonio coming to the surface. At first he relates to us, the audience, through the persona of a science fiction character named Morgan. He finds it easier to explain his feelings of detachment through the fictionalized concept of being an alien on another planet. At first I actually found this to be off-putting. But it works. And his feet finally do find the ground. The point that I found to be the most telling about him and about the raison d'etre of the plot came about near the end as Antonio spoke with his employer about the duties of a chauffeur. Knowing when to speak was the number one ability. But secondly Antonio mentioned that in difficult situations he should find a way out. "There's always a solution" he concluded. That gave me his personality. He focuses on fixing. That is the direction he moves in.
I enjoyed the way the story was told. There were times that the camera would follow someone outside the story, and we would notice that Antonio watched life seemingly from actual interest. If we were to project what Antonio might do when he "grows up" it would probably be as a writer, or a filmmaker.
The acting and direction were excellent. The script was real, and spare. These seemed like real people. One of the reviews here criticizes the ending as though it didn't follow the course we expected. I can see why a viewer might feel this way. But endings can be beginnings. It does seem that the term "realism" implies a less than happy ending. With the huge popularity of dystopian prognostications in film I can understand why most people prefer a jaded POV.
I cannot think of a film that supposes the future as an extension of the things that work well in society.