Review of Nine Queens (2000) by Tony U — 14 Feb 2009

There is a Lunfardo term called "viveza criollo" which refers to slyly ripping off or conning someone whilst making the person feel as if they received a fair or good deal.

This argentinian con-artist flick is somewhat about that idea in this foreign film about two con artists who develop a partnership and attempt to con a widowed relative who owns a very expensive stamp in her husband's collection.

It's similar to "The Sting" as these two partners attempt to work a masterpiece con.

All in all, the con isn't all that convincing and the twist at the end isn't beleiveable either. It was still interesting to watch footage in a Buenos Aires that was severly in a major economic depression at the time the movie was filmed. The political commentary of the country was a bit obvious and the city footage not enough.

There wasn't any memorably catchy scenes. Ricardo Darin is the strongest actor in this movie as is the brief scene by Alejandro Awada (the stamp fabricator).

All in all, the characters were interesting enough to follow the movie thru to the end, but in the end, this was just an average movie.