Buenos Aires 100 km.

Reviewed by Rafael Ocasio, Agnes Scott Coll, Decafur, GA -- Críticas, 6/15/2008

(Argentina, 2004) color. Spanish (English subtitles). Strand Releasing Home Videos. 2007. DVD. $24.99. DRAMA

The title of this film is a literal reference to the novel by Esteban, a youth living in a rural town some 100 kilometers away from Buenos Aires. Nothing happens in this God-forsaken place, so a group of teenagers (Alejo, Matías, and Guido) terrorizes the town while looking for some action. The main character is Esteban, who despises his father’s insistence that he study drafting and quietly continues writing his “stories”—a gory novel about a crazy man who becomes a mass murderer in a town pretty much like his own. His novel pales in comparison to the secrets of the township. The gossips eventually catch up with the friends’ circle and disband it. There is a strong gay undertone throughout the film as the characters often react with homophobic attitudes to their closeness. Though not clear, one of the town’s top secrets seems to include a gay situation. Although the main action develops from the teenagers’ relationship, this film will appeal to a mature audience. Highly recommended for collections on Argentine cinema. See more information about this subject in Video Collection Development.