Cenizas del paraíso (1997)

Director:

Marcelo Piñeyro

Writers:

Aída Bortnik (writer)
Marcelo Piñeyro (writer)

Release Date:

7 August 1997 (Argentina)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Three siblings, one woman, one destiny

Plot:

A judge falls from the roof of the Federal Courthouse. A woman is murdered. Between them and the three...

Plot Keywords:

Judge | Political Corruption | Suspicion | Corruption | Nonlinear Timeline

Awards:

7 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Héctor Alterio	...	Judge Costa Makantasis
Cecilia Roth	...	Juez Beatriz Teller
Leonardo Sbaraglia	...	Pablo Makantasis
Daniel Kuzniecka	...	Nicolás Makantasis
Leticia Brédice	...	Ana Muro
Alejo García Pintos	...	Yeti
Nicolás Abeles	...	Alejandro Makantasis
Jorge Marrale	...	Francisco Muro
Chela Ruíz	...	Isabel Güemes
Rita Cortese	...	Mirta
Horacio Roca	...	Iriarte
Mónica Scapparone	...	Carolina Miranda
María Fiorentino	...	Hilda
Emilio Bardi	...	Méndez
José María Monje	...	Guard Cacho

Also Known As:

Ashes from Paradise (USA)
Paradise Ashes (International: English title)

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

Argentina

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Hong Kong:IIB | Mexico:C | Peru:14 | Poland:15 | South Africa:18 | Spain:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Company:

Artear

Trivia:

Argentina's official submission for the 1997 Oscar Awards, Foreign Language film category.

Soundtrack:

Bollere

Not as good as I'd hoped

I did not really get the point of "Cenizas Del Paraíso". The movie starts off in full swing and if the viewer doesn't pay very close attention throughout the beginning he or she is in trouble. I had to rewind the tape after about 15 minutes because I was so confused with all the details, names and events. And movies that have so much information, especially in the very beginning, usually have a story to tell, right. Well, the director did a great job at gluing the pieces together. Even with all the flashbacks I knew exactly what happened when and where and I was really dying to see what had really happened and who murdered the girl, and why. In the end I was not surprised at all, it was rather an anticlimax and I don't know what makes this movie better than an average "Matlock" episode. Sure, the acting is good (I really felt the immense love between father and sons during the dancing scene) and the plot is quite intriguing, but it's not executed in the best way. I wasn't expecting another "Usual Suspects" or something, but the movie made such a fuss about the murder I wasn't expecting predictability either. Oh, and what's up with the final scene with the brothers in the elevator. Maybe I'm complicating but is there a hidden message somewhere in there or is it just a final artistic moment. Worth for the performances, not the thrill. 7/10