Truman

Sep 14, 2017 - 19:30 - Corn Exchange

  • Director: Cesc Gay
  • Year: 2016
  • Country: Spain/Argentina
  • Run Time: 110 mins
  • Ratings
  • A: 63
  • B: 55
  • C: 8
  • D: 3
  • E: 0
  • Overall: 84
Truman

Ricardo Darin and Javier Camara take Cesc Gay and Tomas Aragay’s superb screenplay and offer an acting masterclass in ‘Truman,’ a low key, character driven buddy movie laced with black humour and emotion. It’s a gem, one of those movies that distributors slot into limited release. Catch it if you can. Tomas (Javier Camara), a teacher in Canada returns to Madrid to spend 4 days with his old friend Julian (Ricardo Darin), an actor diagnosed with terminal cancer. So much to catch up on and so little time. Long chats in bars and restaurants fill the days. Laughter, tears, regrets and unfolding intensity as two friends reflect on their lives, mortality and their future. It’s full of wonderful moments. Julian apologises to his pal Luis (Eduard Fernandez) for sleeping with his wife and wrecking their marriage which ironically did Luis a favour. Veteran actor Jose Luis Gomex adds a perfect comic touch to his cameo role as a theatre producer tasked with sacking Julian, a spur of the moment trip to Amsterdam to see his son Nico (Oriol Pla) whom he thinks is unaware of his illness is beautifully played and Julian’s sister Paula (Dolores Fonzi) fussy and protective and ex-wife Gloria (Elvira Minguez), still loving. And what of Truman, the sad-eyed boxer dog who’s the centre of Julian’s life and up for adoption ? A wonderful screenplay, superb cast, cinematographer Andreu Rebas catches the fun of Madrid’s bars and restaurants and Truman melts your heart. A bitter sweet comedy that’s a joy. Don’t miss it. Clive Botting huffingtonpost.co.uk