By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Juan Pablo Rebella | Pablo Stoll
Starring: Andrés Pazos | Jorge Bolani | Mirella Pascual
Country: argentina, germany, spain, uruguay
Year: 2005
Running time: 99
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0331370/
Michael says: “Several of us watched Buried Treasure nominee WHISKY the other night, and now that a few days have passed, it has really grown on me. Deadpan humor in the style of Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki, yet with an undercurrent of sorrow, this quirky Uruguayan film tells the story of a woman who in her late middle-age learns the she must live life rather than move through it. Marta has spent years working at a rundown sock factory, and tending to her boss, Jacobo. When his brother visits from Brazil for the unveiling of their mother’s headstone, Marta poses as Jacobo’s wife in a desperate attempt to show that his wife has added up to something. When the three go on a holiday at the coast, Marta sees how life could be for her while Jocobo remains stuck in his drab, unchanging life.
“Co-directors Juan Pablo Rebella and Pablo Stoll do a magnificent job at telling a poignant story with very little dialogue and subtle visual clues. While seeing very little of it, we learn so much about Marta’s life. The relationship between Don and his brother Herman is plain to see after just moments of their shared screen time. The acting is very strong, particularly Mirella Pascual as Marta. In this year where people complained of a dearth of strong female performances, one only had to look beyond the boundaries of our country to see a wealth of them. Had I seen WHISKY before nomination time, I would certainly have been championing Pascual. As the film comes to its somber conclusion, one can’t help but cheer for Marta’s quiet victory. 4 ½ cats