Martín Rejtman’s new film follows the format that characterizes the director: inexpressive characters, uninteresting adventures, and a cast where only Mirta Busnelli stands out.
Set in Chile, “The practice”of Martin Rejtmanit kindly lets time pass until about 30 minutes in. The characters, the situations they go through and some of the dialogues are moderately funny. Then, as nothing interesting happens and the story seems to drag on unnecessarily, it starts to get boring. Until it ends abruptly, and, coherently, the main character hits himself, out of sheer misfortune, that’s all.
This is about an Argentinean man, a yoga teacher, married to a Chilean woman, also a yoga teacher. In the middle of the separation, heading towards divorce, the mother comes to visit him and advises him to find an Argentinean lawyer. Why? Because, according to her, “in Argentina, female lawyers are generally more bloodthirsty and less scrupulous.”
This is the most unexpected and memorable line in the entire movie. Sharp, questionable, offensive or accurate, depending on who records it, but the most memorable. On top of that, he says it Mirta Busnelli in the role of a controlling mother, and her performance is a pleasure. It’s a pity that she appears very little.
Of the rest, Esteban Bigliardi He is the protagonist and occasional narrator, Celine Wempe The foreign student who loses her memory without being too distressed, Manuela Hirane the former student pharmacist, Manuela Oyarzun the ex-wife, and there are two figures of Chilean cinema who deserved more minutes: Catalina Saavedrathe therapist, and Amparo Noguera, the teacher of teachers.
The half-atonal and expressionless way in which almost everyone acts, and which is funny at first, is a hallmark Rejtman. It has been associated with the style of Aki Kaurismaki, which is similar, but there is a difference.
The characters of Kaurismaki They are stylish and stubbornly expressionless, even when the world is falling on them, and they accept the absurdities of life, but they are fighting for love, a place in the sun, acceptance in a foreign land, serious things, and their dreams and possible achievements excite us. Rejtman They don’t fight, they are lymphatic, they behave like pests and leave us impassive.
“The Practice” (Argentina-Chile-Portugal, 2023); Dir.: Martín Rejtman; Int.: Esteban Bigliardi, Mirta Busnelli, Manuela Oyarzún, Celine Wempe.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
