Thursday 7 December 2006

Los Debutantes (2003)

I can't say that I've seen many Chilean movies, at least not knowingly, and this look at the seedy underworld in Santiago was not likely to make me seek out others.  I gather that it took the director some seven years to complete, which may account for its rather fragmented composition.  Two brothers leave their small town for the big city on the death of their parents, with the elder taking on the father role for his 17-year old sibling, including trying to get him to shed his virginity, unsuccessfully we are led to believe.  Both of them become involved with a sexy stripper who is also the squeeze of a local crime boss for whom the elder works.  The younger has a besotted but relatively innocent relationship with her, but she in turn has no qualms at seducing his brother while Mr. Big is away on business.  This three-way relationship with the girl is told and retold from various points of view without particularly revealing anything new in the telling.  Mind you, watching her party piece act dressed  in a bikini made only of whipped cream is something that one doesn't see every day.  Or want to!

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