"Nine Queens" by Fabián Bielinsky, 2000, takes "Ocean's Eleven" mixed with Agatha Christie, adds its own original argentine twists, and delivers a uniquely surprising two hours of entertainment. More so than this, the film offers subtle and elegant commentary on the human ability to set aside morality for self interest. As we follow two tricksters, one novice and one teacher, we are taken through a series of ever changing events and plot developments that keep us questioning and guessing.
Some themes found in “Nine Queens” are the conflict of virtue and fortune, and the difference between honest and dishonest work. Carlos, the teacher, claims to be the best at his job because he has the backbone to do what he does. It is not enough to simply have the skill, he says, you must also have the gut. This Machiavellian virtue is contrasted by Juan, the novice, and his conscience. In one scene, Juan bets he can get a woman to willingly hand him her purse, after succeeding Carlos asks him how he did it. Juan claimed to have improvised, or in other words, relied on fortune to provide him with the circumstances that would best serve his skills. After this, Juan asks if Carlos would have taken the purse and left the woman stranded, to which Carlos returns that he is not a crook, and not a thief. He holds himself as different to everyday criminals of the streets, and yet does not count himself among the honest, such as his sister. And so Carlos is somewhere in between, and it is this ambiguity that feeds his self-assurance.
The energetic dialogue and stichomythic cinematography reinforce the quick and modern pace of the movie. With this very mobile plot, our assumptions and trust shift and turn with equal momentum. These ideas of mobility and distrust are a few of the constants that reveal the argentine veins in the film; they are familiar concepts to the nation’s history and politics.
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I really like how this blog was written, and I agree with most of your remarks. I think you might have got the name wrong. Marcos? Your final remarks on the mobility and distrust in the film and how they are directly relative to the history of Argentina really struck me. I shared the same views after I watched the movie, as well.
ReplyDeleteThe distrust in the film is definitely a reflection of the corruption and uncertainty in the argentine government. I believe the blogger focused too much on the characters and their motives and missed out on other elements of the film such as the mise-en-scene. Also, I believe the character's name in the film is Marcos not Carlos.
ReplyDeleteOne comment in your response caught my attention because I found it humorous when I was first watching the film. When Marcos gets defensive and says he's not a thief or a crook, its kind of ironic because he steals from his own family. I think it kind of shows how in order to be a con-artist, you need to be able to justify doing any kind of dirty deed. This is why Marcos thought that he couldn't trust Juan because he seemed to weak minded.
ReplyDeleteI agree on the significant theme of honesty and dishonesty. Marcos constantly states that he is the best at doing his part, and tells Juan that he does not have the guys. However, in the end Juan is the one with the guts and fooled Marcos and took everything from Marcos
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas, some memorable and effective words, and a few areas to improve. It might seem a petit issue, but typos and other problems tend to work against your authority and voice.
ReplyDeletepetty issue
ReplyDelete