By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Carlos Sorin
Starring: Alejandro Awada | Victoria Almeida
Original language title: Días de pesca
Country: argentina
Year: 2012
Running time: 78
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2379436/
Bruce says: “Carlos Sorin returns to Patagonia, the setting of his wistful 2004 film BOMBÓN: EL PERRO. One might call GONE FISHING a double road story. The main character Mario (Alejandro Awada) is on the road to recovery and is also literally on the road to jump start his new life with an attempt to try something new – shark fishing – and a stab at making amends with his estranged daughter (Victoria Almeida). As Mario puts it ‘I decided to take some fresh air and I was told I needed a hobby.’ He encounters some incredible characters out in the bush country. A boxing manager has hopes that his young female boxer will make them both rich. He stops at a seaside hotel in a village where he thinks his daughter might live. He is told she left four or five years ago and might be in a town several hours away. Disappointed, Mario pursues plans to do some deep-sea fishing. He persists at finding his daughter and before long he knocks on her door. She is surprised and not at
all receptive. He invites her and her husband to dinner at the hotel but waits for them in vain. When she finally confronts him
she tells him, ‘Dad, you’ve come to screw me up, like you screwed mom’s life up. Forget me.’
“When Mario finally goes out in the boat the waters are rough and punishing. He becomes violently ill and begs to be taken ashore where he collapses. He is rushed to hospital. His daughter is notified. Will she show up this time? At this point his
trip seems to be in vain from every point of view. Will he ever find a hobby? When he least expects it, a slight shift in
perspective puts Mario on firmer ground.
“Carlos Sorin claims he chooses themes that move him. He also sees connectivity between people and places. He loves the
landscapes of his characters, their facial expressions. GONE FISHING is a lovely, gentle film. Sorin works best when he tells small stories. His last film THE CAT VANISHES strayed from that format and suffered greatly for it. Here he returns to the same milieu as BOMBÓN: EL PERRO with a similar theme, that of middle aged man trying to make sense of his life, in the time he has left. 4 cats
“(GONE FISHING screened at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.)