Nine Queens (2000)
"Nueve reinas" (original title)

Two con artists try to swindle a stamp collector by selling him a sheet of counterfeit rare stamps (the "nine queens").

Director:

Fabián Bielinsky

Writer:

Fabián Bielinsky

Stars:

Ricardo Darín, Gastón Pauls, Leticia Brédice

21 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ricardo Darín	...	Marcos
Gastón Pauls	...	Juan
Leticia Brédice	...	Valeria
María Mercedes Villagra	...	Convenience Store Employee 2
Gabriel Correa	...	Convenience Store Manager
Pochi Ducasse	...	Aunt
Luis Armesto	...	Bar Waiter
Ernesto Arias	...	Bar Manager
Amancay Espíndola	...	Woman in Elevator
Isaac Fajm	...	Vendor
Jorge Noya	...	Aníbal
Graciela Tenenbaum	...	Convenience Store Employee
Oscar Nuñez	...	Sandler
Ignasi Abadal	...	Vidal Gandolfo
Carlos Lanari	...	Man on Cell Phone

Storyline

Early one morning, Marcos observes Juan successfully pulling off a bill-changing scam on a cashier, and then getting caught as he attempts to pull the same trick on the next shift. Marcos steps in, claiming to be a policeman, and drags Juan out of the store. Once they are back on the street, Marcos reveals himself to be a fellow swindler with a game of much higher stakes in mind, and he invites Juan to be his partner in crime. A once-in-a-lifetime scheme seemingly falls into their laps - an old-time con man enlists them to sell a forged set of extremely valuable rare stamps, The Nine Queens. The tricky negotiations that ensue bring into the picture a cast of suspicious characters, including Marcos' sister Valeria, their younger brother Federico and a slew of thieves, conmen and pickpockets. As the deceptions mount, it becomes more and more difficult to figure out who is conning whom.

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Plot Keywords:

stamp | con artist | partner | scam | hotel | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Metropolitan Films [fr] trailer, interview, etc. (French, Flash) Sony Pictures Classics [us] - trailer, synopsis, etc. (Flash)

Country:

Argentina

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

31 August 2000 (Argentina)

Also Known As:

Nine Queens

Filming Locations:

Hotel Hilton, Puerto Madero, Capital Federal, Argentina

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£49,438 (UK) (12 July 2002)

Gross:

$1,221,261 (USA) (4 October 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

FX Sound, Industrias Audiovisuales Argentinas S.A., J.Z. & Asociados

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The song Juan refers to several times during the film is Rita Pavone's 1976 hit "Il Ballo del Mattone" from the LP "Come te non c'è nessuno", written by Eduardo Verde and Bruno Canfora. As for the film in which the song is supposed to be in, no reference is found but, by correlating dates it could only be "Due sul pianerottolo (1975)"

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Quotes

Marcos: Can't you see the way she swings her ass? There are no saints.

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Connections

Referenced in Vivo en Argentina: Tomás Fonzi (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Il Ballo del Mattone"
by Rita Pavone (1976)

User Reviews

Fantastic Film! Don't be afraid of the subtitles!

I know some people out there who don't like to watch movies with subtitles. It either makes them feel that they are missing out on the essence of the film because they do not understand the language being spoken, or they simply don't want to be forced to read in order understand what's going on. For those who share that opinion, it's quite a shame because this is one fantastic film that you will be missing.

Being the son of an Argentine-born parent, I more or less understand a lot of the Spanish spoken by the characters in this film, though I am in no way fluent. As you watch this film though, you almost forget that the subtitles are there. You can miss a few lines of dialog and still have a good grasp of exactly what's going on. This is due mainly to the two starring actors in the film who were absolutely incredible. First, Ricardo Darin, is nothing short of brilliant. He's a well-known actor in Argentina and has such an incredibly natural on-screen presence that you can't help but be captivated by his performance. He plays the role of a professional con-man to perfection, combining his dramatic and comedic skills to form an equally villainous as well as sympathetic character. Secondly, his counterpart Gaston Pauls is equally brilliant as Darin's baby-faced accomplice in what is to be a "one in a million" opportunity to swindle a wealthy businessman out of a small fortune.

I've seen the American version "Criminal" - 2004, which is also good, but does not really do justice to the original. Nine Queens is a brilliant piece of international film-making that will not disappoint any fan of the genre. As mentioned by a reviewer, there is absolutely zero "down time" in this film. The dialog is crisp, the characters are very well cast and there is no time wasted with any unnecessary filler or elongated scenes. Every word and every scene builds a bridge to the next and culminates with a surprising and satisfying ending that you definitely will not be expecting. Please, don't let the language barrier prevent you from seeing this film. It's very easy to follow and well worth the small effort required. 10/10.