Review of Nine Queens (2000) by Classified C — 14 Mar 2004

[color=#8b0000][color=black][u][i]Nine Queens [/i](Fabian Bielinsky, 2002)[/u][/color] [/color].

[b]Nine Queens[/b], a cool new Argentinean crime flick about a clever duo of con artists who team up for a day and night of scams in Buenos Aires, follows in the long Hollywood tradition of caper movies like [i]Thief[/i], [i]Reservoir Dogs[/i], [i]Sexy Beast[/i], and every second David Mamet film. As expected, it features the requisite number of tricky twists and turns. As expected, the plot is dense and convoluted, and the characters are pawns that play and are played by the game of crime.

[i]Nine Queens[/i], though, is more deep and polished and atmospheric than many of these crafty shell games. As played marvellously by Ricardo Darín and Gastón Pauls, respectively, Marcos - a quick-witted, 40-ish pro in the art of suggestion, who sports a goatee and a black tie - and Juan - a young, proud, baby-faced hustler who's new to the game, yet not inexperienced at it - come to life vividly and realistically. From the time they meet in a 7-11-ish convenience store up until they try to pawn of a forged set of valuable stamps (the Nine Queens of the title) for $450 000, these guys are really believable as devious, cunning, and also desperate and vulnerable con men - humans instead of mere ciphers.

Fabián Bielinsky, a first-time feature director, also infuses the film with gritty visual atmosphere. The movie has a squalid, urban-greed-hits-the-dirty-streets mood and an ambiance of made-in-Argentina authenticity that lends its cons a certain voyeuristic kick. [i]Nine Queens[/i], at its best, looks and feels real, whereas too many heist films are just proud to be unbelievable.

The plot here is the usual hard-to-follow assemblage of assorted intertwined twists. Everybody cons everybody else in this greedy world of lies and trickery. The lively, believable characters and authentic atmosphere of [i]Nine Queens[/i], however, make it a true jewel worth snatching. [b]B+[/b].