Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator
If you like movies that feel like they were dug out of a basement, you'll probably dig this. It’s got a grit that modern stuff just doesn't replicate. But if you need snappy dialogue and a plot that actually moves, you’re gonna hate it. It moves at the speed of a tired mule. 🐴
The whole thing feels oddly heavy. Not heavy like deep philosophy, but heavy like the clothes they’re wearing. Everyone looks like they’re struggling against the landscape itself.
There’s a moment near the start where the camera just lingers on a landscape for way too long. It’s not beautiful. It’s just... there. It reminded me a bit of the stark, uncomfortable reality in Land Without Bread, though without the same level of cynical bite. It’s just people living, I guess.
José María Alonso Pesquera has this look on his face through the whole film. It’s a mix of 'I’m tired' and 'I know something you don't.' It works, mostly.
The pacing is all over the place. Sometimes it feels like a documentary about smuggling, and other times it tries to be a proper drama. It doesn't quite pull off both, but that's kind of why I liked it. It feels imperfect.
It’s definitely not as polished as something like Get Your Man, but it’s got a weird soul. It doesn’t try to be clever. It just tries to be a movie about a guy who breaks laws for a living. That’s enough for me.
There’s a scene in the tavern that goes on for about five minutes too long. You can literally watch the actors start to lose their focus. It’s hilarious if you’re paying attention. Nobody talks about these little cracks in the facade, but they’re the best parts.
Anyway, don’t go in expecting a masterpiece. It’s just a weird, dusty relic. Sometimes that's the best kind of Friday night watch. 🍷
