If one wants to understand Argentine humor, this movie is a must see. Hilarious, laconic, beautifully ironic. Wonderful statement of the Argentine character. "Tengo fiaca" is the classic statement of lack of motivation. Taken to the extreme, the protagonist finds himself unable to make himself go to work, with a case of spring fever, and skips work, to work out his lack of motivation, and after having run its course, and running out of alternatives, returns to work, only to find that he still cannot force himself to sell out to the industrial machination of modern society. It is, along with Julio Cortazar's essay "Sobre la solucíon de controversias" in his work La vuelta al dia en ochenta mundos, the quintessential statement of Argentine humor.
2 Reviews
Tribulations of an office worker
hof-43 October 2011
This movie rest squarely on the shoulders of the Argentine comedian Norman Briski; he seems to be present in every scene. If you like Briski's brand of comedy you'll probably like the movie, if you find Briski often annoying (as I do) your enjoyment will be diminished.
The script is by the director Fernando Ayala and Ricardo Talesnik, based on a play by Talesnik. It makes some good (if not original) points about the life of an office worker, but it is rather thin. Ayala's direction is dynamic, brilliant in some scenes, but is weighted down by the script.
A young Norma Aleandro does, as usual, an excellent job. The supporting cast is good. Musical score is by Astor Piazzola.
The script is by the director Fernando Ayala and Ricardo Talesnik, based on a play by Talesnik. It makes some good (if not original) points about the life of an office worker, but it is rather thin. Ayala's direction is dynamic, brilliant in some scenes, but is weighted down by the script.
A young Norma Aleandro does, as usual, an excellent job. The supporting cast is good. Musical score is by Astor Piazzola.
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