MACHUCA (2004)
Director: Andrés Wood
Cast: Matías Quer, Ariel Mateluna, Manuela Martelli, Aline Küppenheim, Ernesto Malbran, Tamara Acosta, Francisco Reyes
Screenplay: Andrés Wood, Roberto Brodsky, and Mamoun Hassan
Matías Quer, Machuca
Set in Chile right before the US-backed military coup that deposed popularly elected president Salvador Allende, Machuca is a generally well-made, at times moving depiction of a difficult historical period as seen through the eyes of three pre-adolescents from different social classes.
Despite an excessive use of hip sounds from the '70s that tend to be more distracting than mood-enhancing, director and co-screenwriter Andrés Wood does manage to capture the feel of early 1970s Chile, especially in the street scenes.
As a plus, Wood has an excellent grip on his solid cast, eliciting several outstanding performances, particularly from the three young leads, Matías Quer, Manuela Martelli, and, in the title role as the school's odd-boy out, Ariel Mateluna.
At the 2004 edition of the AFI FEST in Los Angeles, Wood stated that Chilean law forbids the negative portrayal of that country's military on screen. Even so, the filmmaker added that no one has come after him because of Machuca, which presents the Chilean military in a highly unflattering light. Some right-wing Chileans, however, have accused Wood and his film of distorting history.
Chile's submission for the 2004 Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award, Machuca was nominated for the Spanish Film Academy's Goya Award in the Best Spanish-Language Foreign Film category.
Reviewed at AFI FEST.
Boring movie. It's like a socialism spot. Militia are bad-bad guys. Socialists and commies are white doves, martyrs of the dictatorship!
Mat?as te amo!!!!!!!!!
Te adoro!!!!!!
I love that film. Andres Woods was able to capture the Chile of the 70s. Everyone should see it.