Carancho
2010 Directed by Pablo Trapero
Synopsis
In Argentina over 8,000 people die in traffic accidents every year. Behind each of these tragedies is a flourishing industry founded on insurance payouts and legal loopholes. Sosa is a lawyer who tours the A&E Departments of the public hospitals and the police stations in search of potential clients. Luján is a young doctor recently arrived from the provinces. Their love story kicks off one night when Luján and Sosa meet in the street. She's trying to save a man's life; he wants him on his client portfolio
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Carancho (named after the vultures that chase ambulances and try to profit from the misfortunes of those caught in traffic accidents) is an Argentinian noir thriller about such a ‘vulture’ and his tentative relationship with a drug-addicted paramedic. Both characters are trying to escape their situations yet their worlds, full of violence and corruption, are prisons neither can free themselves from.
The film is shrouded in a perpetual darkness with both characters existing solely for the nighttime (one attempting to save lives and one trying to profit from them) which gives the film a strong visual identity. The world is grimy and harsh, hardly the environment for love to flourish. Yet, the characters do attempt to hold on to their…
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Gritty noir, with Darin starring as a somewhat ethically wayward ambulance chasing attorney who falls for Gusman's young doctor. There's a real chemistry between the two damaged and flawed characters in their complex relationship, falling into an ever more bleakly dark place engulfed by corruption and violence.
Although having a largely sedate pace throughout, it really cranks up a notch for the superb conclusion which is masterfully directed (Trapero is one to watch for sure). A little muddy at points plot-wise but it's a compelling, superbly acted and well-shot picture of rare intelligence.
Recent reviews
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Luján (palyed by Martina Gusman) is a young doctor working with paramedics, who meets Sosa (played by Ricardo Darín) at one of Argentina's many car accidents. Sosa is an ambulance chaser, working for people whose legal ethics apparently suffered an early death. Sosa and Luján begin a relationship, but the car accident 'business' makes life treacherous. A film to make you never want to get into a car in Argentina, acted extremely well by Gusman and Darín (except when she cried, how can such a good actor not be able to cry convincingly?)
This is my film from Argentina for the 30 countries challenge, thank you to Kevin for suggesting it. -
Pablo Trapero is a quite good storyteller. Movies like Carancho not only expose an unpolished and raw reality but also give us some pieces of a really interesting subculture. In the end I think Trapero can do simple but significant.
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My first Trapero. And I'm eager to see more. The direction is brilliant in recreating a nighttime world where society's underprivileged and exploited, including its two protagonists, literally and figuratively try to survive in a Darwinist world of apparent order. Amid all of it, love flourishes like the only possibility of hope and solidarity reachable. Trapero knows his characters and the world they live in, and how hard they have to work for it every moment of the day. It is a delicate balance where it is best not to mess with the powers that be (but without grandiose speeches, a la 'Network') and just go with the flow. The love onscreen is full blooded, flawed, and devoid of artificial…
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Well made with some impressive long takes and strong performances, but I found the whole thing quite dull and never got fully engaged by its oppressively grim atmosphere.
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Um filme fatalista sobre um mundo sórdido, com o talento de Darín.
A fatalistic film about a sordid world, with Darín's talent. -
Decent enough film concerning a Ambulance chaser getting caught up in a latest find all the while getting involved with the female Doctor dealing with it, all coming together with some twists and turns
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fantastic crime film - Ricardo Darin is brilliant
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Took too long to come out after the LFF. A good film
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Entertaining and at the same time disturbing look at the road accident/insurance corruption business in Buenos Aires.
Let me say that i'm writing this based on an assumption that this film has been well researched and is based on how things are in Buenos Aires. And if that is the case this then watching this has been a real eye opener.
I've had heard of 'ambulance chasers' who scoured hospital waiting rooms looking for punters. I seen the cards of insurance company's myself on the coffee machines when i've been waiting in Out Patients at the local hospital.
But never in my wildest imagination did I ever consider the lengths that some people will go to to only acquire a…