Review of Pipa

In this, the third film to be centred on Manuela 'Pipa' Pelari we find her retired from the police and living with her aunt and son in a remote corner of Argentina. She thought that she had left the troubles and dangers of her previous life behind but when a young woman is found dead she finds herself dragged in. The police are more than willing to say it was just a tragic accident and the certainly don't want to bother the wealthy family who had hired the girl as a waitress for a party the night before. Pipa's questioning of the official line will expose certain secrets and put her and her family in danger.

I thought this film was solid enough. It may be the third film in a series but the story is self-contained so it doesn't matter if you haven't seen the previous ones. The story doesn't provide too many surprises but there are plenty of tense scenes. It may be set in the modern day but many of the characters and their motives could have been transplanted from a western. The acting is fine; Luisana Lopilato is particularly good as Pipa. The setting is great with some really spectacular scenery that adds to the film's western feel. A sub-plot involving the mistreatment of the native population does seem a little forced and the choice of music doesn't quite match the genre. Overall I'd say this was a decent enough film; not a must see but still fairly enjoyable.

These comments are based on watching the film in Spanish with English subtitles.