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Baño del Papa, El (2007)
9 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
It deserves to be seen... but open your mind first., 13 October 2007
Author: Rumpelstiltkin from Uruguay
If you are looking for effects, heroes and such, don't watch it. If you watch movies as a thread of facts, or scenes, you'll never understand a movie like this. But if you open your mind enough to understand what poverty does to the characters; their broken dreams, their lack of material goods, their lack of education, food, etc., and read carefully each one of the subtle (and not so subtle sometimes) messages about honesty, friendship and family values, and how strong those values can be, you'll find you are watching a little jewel; surprisingly, non-pro actors almost outperform pro actors, thus making a very fresh and simple film, very natural. A message goes to church: it seems church doesn't care about poor people but only when is good marketing; feeding kids in poor countries (just an example, not related with the film) may be of great impact, but getting involved with problems and faith of people seems not to be important at all. That doesn't means stop feeding kids; that means not making a display of richness each time a country is visited, cause seems that the church laughs at people's poverty and suffering. I guess that's why so many of us in Uruguay believe in god, but doesn't trust the church as an institution anymore. Press credibility is at stake too. My personal opinion from now on: the message is clear.. the flame of values is still alive. Don't let it die, cause only values will keep us alive as big family.
6 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Brilliant !!!, 2 October 2007
Author: hrprossi from Uruguay
Melo is like this. The film shows the reality of this area of the country where very poor people have to do their best in order to survive. It is the reality of most of our peoples in Latin America. Their dreams and their daily struggle against poverty and frustration. The Pope's visit is a very good way to show what these people do every day to live a "decent" life. The direction, the actors, the natural scenery. everything is in its right place and all of us left the theater with the feeling that life is so and nobody can do anything to change the way thing are for them. Just one word to define it: Excellent.
5 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
In same league as the last few excellent films from Uruguay, 17 August 2007
Author: CarNen from Montevideo, Uruguay
Excellent actors achieve a perfect description of how people live, work and feel in the Uruguayan towns bordering Brazil. They need very few quick words to tell you everything about the characters they represent.
In spite of all their problems it still sends a very positive message about the efforts of this family to stay together. They are really concerned about the future of their daughter. Both parents go to extremes for the well being of their small family.
The expressions of the silent face of the daughter tell you everything in her mind.
It is a very sad subject but very well treated with delicate touches of humor.
A bit too slow for today's viewer accustomed to fast action but, still an excellent movie.
Maybe not as good as "Whisky" but in the same league of the several Uruguayan movies we have seen lately. Quite different but as good as "El viaje hacia el Mar".
It is a film that leaves the viewer looking for hidden and not so hidden messages from its creators.
It shows very clearly and graphically the contrast between the opulence of the trip of the Pope and his multiple assistants and the local poverty.
The close-ups of the pope mobile stress the two different worlds; the Pope's and the people's.
Is that a message to the church asking for a modernization of their public relations strategy?
The TV reporter has no problem broadcasting news he has not confirmed. He talks about a long line of buses waiting to cross the borderline from Brazil, filled with visitors raising the expectations of the viewers.
The many interviews with people who are planning to profit from the Pope's visit feed the hopes of many others without any real basis.
Is that a message to the media, asking for more ethical reporting?
I loved the mother and the daughter., 20 May 2008
Author: agfcarrara from Valladolid, Spain
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
The movie broke my heart. I was so proud of the daughter when a tear emerged upon realizing and admiring her father's effort. The scene practising the use of the toilet with "clients" was fabulous.
The contrast between what I have and what they haven't is too extreme, YET they do have two supreme possessions -- faith and friendship.
The photography was impressive and the poverty was perfectly illustrated.
The movie offers no possible way to better the economic status of these dear people. Their lack of money is unrelenting.
They could do well in business as they have ideas, are resourceful and hard working. The world is the loser when the creativity of people goes untapped.
4 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Not great, but very watchable and enjoyable., 7 September 2007
Author: woodvillelite from Toronto, Ontario
This was one of the main films I wanted to see this year at the Toronto Film Festival due to the rave reviews on this site. I am glad I did but in my estimation did not deserve a 9 or 10 rating.
It's 1988 and a small very poor Uruguayan town is in a papal frenzy, Pope John Paul II is coming! The citizens are concerned with what will be needed to accommodate over 50,000+ visitors and be pleasing to his holiness. Food and drink is on most of their minds, but Beto, has the after effects fully in his mind but just needs the money to build a toilet without going into debt like most of the other villagers.
One of the main theme which runs through this movie is that most of the village men are smugglers, that is their lively hood. The border between Uruguay and Brazil is right there, supplies are available in Brazil which are not in Uruguay. There is also a cat and mouse game with the head honcho of the border patrol who also wants his cut along with everyone else.
I think the story could have moved a lot faster in the first 40 minutes but they were getting us acquainted to the characters, village and how things work (smuggling) in their neck of the woods so to speak. The use of the hand held cameras was awkward at times (assuming this due to the jumpiness) but sort of reminiscent of how the TV series "Homicide: Life on the Street" was filmed. This movie was very well done, you bond with the characters fairly fast. Very few of the principal actors were real professionals, many were villagers of the area they were filming in. I doubt this film will be in my top pick of this years films, BUT, it did have a very charming quality, beautiful scenery and totally worth seeing.
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