Review of Tony Manero (2008) by Stuart K — 23 Apr 2012
Directed by Pablo LarraÃn (Fuga (2006) and Post Mortem (2010)), this is a Chilean film which manages to be dark, realistic, unsettling and with a streak of black humour throughout. It's good to see something this original and low-key but ultimately affecting come out of Chile, but it feels real and moving as well.
Set in Santiago in 1978, around the time Chile was going through diplomatic problems with General Pinochet in Argentina, this has 52 year old loner Raúl Peralta (Alfredo Castro) who finds solace in watching Saturday Night Fever (1977), which is playing at the local picture house, and he becomes captivated with John Travolta's performance as Tony Manero, so much so, that he's bought a white suit just like the one in the film, and he's applied to go on a local Chilean TV talent show.
Raúl lives in the same building as a dance hall ran by Cony (Amparo Noguera), who has a liking for Raúl, despite his violent mood swings and quest for perfecting the dancing as it was done in Saturday Night Fever, sometimes Raúl's violent tendencies come out in full swing, even leading in some cases to murdering people who have somehow rubbed him up the wrong way.
Remember that Jasper Carrott joke about the Nutter On The Bus?? Well, Raúl Peralta is the kind of person he's was going on about, it's such an uncomfortable film to watch at times, but it's Castro's engaging, tragic performance which moves the film along, it's done with such honesty and realism, it's a wonder this wasn't a Dogme 95 film, (it's done like one), and it's shows the culture of a country we don't normally see on film.
This review of Tony Manero (2008) was written by Stuart K on 23 Apr 2012.
Tony Manero has generally received positive reviews.
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