On probation - Tiempo de valientes
Silverstein: I can’t believe it! I’ve just figured out the thing about the egg and the chicken. How didn’t I see it before?!
Díaz: So which one was first?
Silverstein: The egg!
Díaz: And where does the egg come from?
Silverstein: I don’t know, but it’s an egg! From anywhere, from under a rock… from the sea… from another egg… It doesn’t really matter! You can have an egg appearing just like that, but not a fully grown chicken from nowhere! Who could even think about something like that happening? Don’t you get it?
Díaz: It’s possible.
Silverstein: Possible??? It’s obvious, Díaz!
***
I have lost count of the times I have seen Tiempo de valientes since it released. It is the kind of movie I can watch again and again and never get tired of, despite knowing some of the dialogues by heart. Once again I am writing about an Argentinian film, staying true to this Argentinian obsession of mine…
Director, Damián Szifron, is well known for his superb TV serial Los Simuladores, of great success in Argentina. I hope we get to see many more good stuff like this from this young director and that he can be appreciated outside Argentina and the Spanish speaking countries.
Tiempo de valientes is a simple buddy-movie full of humour that gets you hooked up right from the beginning. Even though the start might make one think it is going to be a very serious thriller, the truth is I spent most of the time laughing when I saw it the first time and so did the rest of the audience at the cinema. That is one of the things I love about going to the cinema to watch a funny film: a kind of bond of “audience-ship” is built and one feels like communicating with the rest of the spectators. It is almost as if the whole movie theatre was your own group of friends. I don’t think this happens with other genres. Oh, yes, there is another case in which I have experienced this bond, and that is when the film is supposed to be a serious drama but it turns out to be so pathetic that people start laughing in a state of blank despair. But this is not the case. Anyway, I am not surprised some directors love to camouflage themselves amongst the audience to see people’s reactions. I heard Damián Szifrón mentioning in an interview that he loves doing it, especially to see the reactions in other countries than his own, and that he is quite pleased when people laugh with the same kind of situation that is expected to make Argentinians laugh. I guess it must be quite rewarding.
Back to Tiempo de valientes, the plot is more or less as follows:
Mariano Silverstein (Diego Peretti) is a psychoanalyst that, due to a traffic accident of which he is found responsible, is advised by his lawyer to be put on probation, so instead of having to go to court and serve time in prison, he has to commit himself to give assistance to the social services in the context of his field.
That is when we are introduced to Alfredo Díaz (Luis Luque), a police inspector from the Policía Federal Argentina that is sunk in depression since he found out that his wife cheated on him for months. Díaz’s colleagues are worried about him so they ask Silverstein to treat him while he is on patrol. Silverstein doesn’t feel very comfortable with the idea, as he finds it dangerous, but he is given no other option.
What follows from now on should be watched without knowing much about it, so if you are determined to watch this movie, I suggest you read as little as possible about it. Yes, it is a film about cops, but also a film about friendship and camaraderie. However, I refuse to compare it to Lethal Weapon (even if in the film there is a moment in which Silverstein himself claims to feel as if he was in Lethal Weapon).
For me, the strongest point about the film are the witty dialogues and the cast. The chemistry between Diego Peretti and Luis Luque is perfect. I can’t imagine anyone else to play the role of Mariano better than Diego. It is as if Diego was Mariano and Mariano was Diego. Mind you, he’s got the advantage of being a psychiatrist himself who practised for fourteen years, so I guess he was in his element in this one! This reminds me of one of his other films: No sos vos, soy yo, this time being the patient. I am almost sure his behaviour was inspired by some of his patients from the past and just the thought of it amuses me. But also, Damián Szifron admited he wrote the script of Tiempo de Valientes thinking of Diego and the way he speaks and expresses himself, so I guess that is why it works so well.
There are some memorable scenes to watch out for, like the one taking place in Silverstein’s bathroom or the conversation between him and the cleaning-man when he is trying to find Díaz.
Not to mention the faces Diego makes (he is so expressive!) and his little sighs…
The music is very catchy, with a bit of a Western flavour. It is a pity I haven’t managed to get hold of it to date.
I haven’t been able to find a trailer with English subtitles, but for those who are interested in watching it either way, here it is:
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Now thats a review i can deal with!
A movie from Argentina which 90% of us have not even heard of. Thats cool.
Thanks monica. I’m gonna check this out for sure.
Have you seen Lunes al sol, Los(Mondays in the SUN)? My fav actor Javier Bardem is awesome in it. Monica you’ll definitely like it.
We should exchange a list of movies to be seen. what do u say?
Thankyou Monica!
Where have you been hiding?!
Very good write up, but sadly there is no sound on the computer i am using, so i’ll check the trailer out later.
I was hoping you’d leave some comments on Argentenian cinema, as i rely on your comments!
Thankyou for that. Will see if I can hire it from somewhere…
Also, what was the Argentenian film which reminded you of ‘Bluffmaster’??
Aaaggghhh…
Of course I love your post, I am so glad to see you!!!!
But, I loved the trailer so much I watched it twice. If I had the time I would translate it for everyone else because it is truly funny.
But, where the hell did you find this movie!!!!
It is not available on Netflix (rental service here in the US), and I can’t find anywhere to buy the soundtrack!!! This movie was so small that even though it won a bunch of awards, it seems has dissappeared!
So, thanks to you, I will have to go to my favourite, hidden Mexican CD/DVD store this week and pray that they have this hidden away somewhere. What I mean by thanks to you is that if they have it, I will be off my budget for the month
And, if they have the soundtrack, I will send you a copy…
Steve… it was Nine Queens
t- good question…where does Monica find this stuff?
Seriously, thanks to Monica I am begining to realise that there is this wonderful film circuit doing the rounds very quietly, and to be honest, there isn’t enough coverage on Argentenian cinema.
Keep it up Monica!
Oz- cheers matey!
Mainak,
Yes, I have seen Los lunes al sol. Isn
I know monica.
He is doing LOVE IN THE TIMES OF CHOLERA.
Thats the next book i am gonna read next month. I wonder what Woody Allen will do with him. Its a deadly combo… but woody is losing his spark now. MATCH POINT is way below his mark.
I have the DVD of SEA INSIDE for last 6 months. I still havnt seen it. Its weird besause thats how i got to know him. LIVE FLESH is cool too.
Have you seen FUCKLAND? i wanted to see that film for a long time.
Where do u live?
Ok, so here comes another variation of the same conversation again.
How does “Tiempo de Valientes” become “On Probation” in English? Granted, there is no direct translation of the film’s name into English, but how does “Time of the Brave” (a close approximation) become “On Probation”.
I notice this in movies from so many countries, the translation of the name becomes something completely different once it is released in America, even in a case like this where it may not be necessary to do so…
I realize that with some titles there may be some literal translation issues (not everything translates, or when it does it is offensive or funny), but on other occasions is it a marketing decision?
Mainak,
I enjoyed Match Point. Still have to watch Scoop though. I tell you which film I could not stand, Small Time Crooks. The beginning made me laugh my head off, but after that
I havent seen SCOOP but i hear its good. Havent seen Small Time Crooks either. Have you seen his early works? Watch BANANAS. Its slapstick. But funny.
My fav is HANAAH & HER SISTERS, HUSBANDS & WIVES, ANNIE HALL, MANHATTAN.
I haven’t seen FUCKLAND yet. Its hard to find.
LIVE FLESH is by your Pedro Almodovar. Watch it.
Yes, I have seen “Hannah and her sisters”, “Annie Hall” and “Manhattan” and enjoyed them all.
Oh, and I loved “Everyone says I love you”! :d :”>
“Live flesh”… I decided to give that one a miss.
I was hoping that someone who knew something about movie marketing would enlighten us to how movies get named for the foreign market, rather than my making educated guesses, but here is my guess, based on this film.
In English, “Time of the Brave” sounds more like a Mel Gibson or Clint Eastwood film than a comedy. “On Probation” is less serious and can lean toward funny. So in that aspect it makes sense. But, I am curious how the names of films get changed before their releases in other countries. Are there actually marketing departments or researchers who determine if a movie will open better with a different, more localized name? Or is this a distributors call?
here you can listen to the sountrack(it cost me a lot to find it, so enjoy it) http://goear.com/listenwin.php?v=27a6b6e . I’m from Argentina too, and I can tell you that Diego Peretti is one of the best actors i have ever seen. I don’t know how many argentinian movies you’ve heard of, but Tiempo de Valientes and 9 Reinas are the best ones ever made here