ARGENTINA, 1985 is a political thriller in the tradition of Costa-Gravas's "Z," and perhaps ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, with a dash of THE OFFICIAL STORY thrown in. It tells a rather complex story in an easy-to-understand way. For that alone, I'm impressed. Three screenwriters are credited: Mariano Llinas, and Francisco Bertin. I don't know who is responsible for what, but, taut and suspenseful, it works. Argentina has had a turbulent political history from the start of the Spanish conquest, up through the entire 20th Century, with military dictatorships being the principal form of government. Democracy was (at least in name) instituted in 1983. Does the new democratic government really have any power? Is it really any different from its predecessor? The new government wants to prosecute the previous regime for its horrendous crimes, but powerful people are warning them not to do it, or else face the consequences. The prosecutors are their families are menaced at every turn. There is even at least one assassination. Most of the film is taken up with the investigation and the gathering of overwhelming evidence, in spite of serious threats against the investigators and the witnesses. A lot of the testimony is horrifying and heart-rending. Convincingly acted in real locations, it sometimes has the feel of a documentary, albeit a suspenseful one. I suspect Hollywood is already calling director Santiago Mitre, who obviously has a big future ahead of him.
Review of Argentina, 1985
