Tony Manero
2008 Directed by Pablo Larraín
Synopsis
A man is obsessed with John Travolta's disco dancing character from "Saturday Night Fever".
Popular reviews
More-
Well now, I... um... wow. Here I was thinking I was set to experience a cute little Chilean comedy about some schlubby loner obsessed with Saturday Night Fever. The reality is... a little different. I'm not going to say anything to preserve the effect for those of you who haven't seen it, but the point where you understand what's going on is so dazzlingly striking that I couldn't take my eyes off the screen until the credits rolled. Alfredo Castro is nothing short of astonishing as the Travolta wannabe, conveying all sorts of emotion with frightening agility. An incredible film, seek it out.
-
Set in 1978 Chile, during Pinochet's rule, we follow an obsessed fan of John Travolta's character in "Saturday Night Fever as he works towards competing in a tacky TV talent contest. It sounds like the makings of a parody except it's deadly serious and at times shockingly violent as things turn psychotic. It's deeply unsettling, yet fascinating, character study which cleverly draws parallels with the politics in Chile of the time.
-
A common reaction from those giving Saturday Night Fever a rewatch for the first time in decades is often an exclamation of surprise: they weren't expecting the darker side of the film, and they sure were not expecting the film to be as good as it was.
My last rewatch was a very long time ago so I'm sure there nuances I am missing, but my guess is that there are more elements of Saturday Night Fever being mirrored in Tony Manero than simply the mimicking of the dance scenes.
Tony Manero is an odd, disturbing look at the life of Raúl Peralta, a man who likes to believe that he is John Travolta's character Tony Manero. The film is…
-
Tony Manero is a fascinating look at dictator Augusto Pinochet's "reign of terror" in Chile, as told through a character study of a homicidal Travolta-wannabe. It's like American Psycho for Chile. "Chilean Psycho." It's brilliant.
-
An ugly, ugly film that is nonetheless commendable for its originality and commitment.
Set in 1970s Chile during Pinochet's dictatorship, it follows a pathetic, unhinged 50 year-old man named Raul (who has an unhealthy obsession with John Travolta's free-spirited character from SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE) as he spirals more and more out of control.
It seems a bit too eager to court controversy with its scenes of blunt violence and graphic, ugly sexuality, but the film has a unique and forceful point-of-view, a cinematic quality, and an uncomfortable TAXI DRIVER-like allure.
-
Excellent take of a obsessive and deeply psychotic Saturday Night Fever fan who stops at nothing to get his recognition as the Chilean number one Tony Manero impersonator,Alfredo Castro once again does another great job in bringing the character to life in this the first of Pablo Larrain's trilogy of life under Pinochet's rule.
Recent reviews
More-
Raul loves to dance.
-
Very dark story, with a brilliant perfomance. Suprisingly beautiful movie.
-
Tony Manero is a fascinating look at dictator Augusto Pinochet's "reign of terror" in Chile, as told through a character study of a homicidal Travolta-wannabe. It's like American Psycho for Chile. "Chilean Psycho." It's brilliant.
-
A common reaction from those giving Saturday Night Fever a rewatch for the first time in decades is often an exclamation of surprise: they weren't expecting the darker side of the film, and they sure were not expecting the film to be as good as it was.
My last rewatch was a very long time ago so I'm sure there nuances I am missing, but my guess is that there are more elements of Saturday Night Fever being mirrored in Tony Manero than simply the mimicking of the dance scenes.
Tony Manero is an odd, disturbing look at the life of Raúl Peralta, a man who likes to believe that he is John Travolta's character Tony Manero. The film is…
-
Pop culture obsession is seen as a quirky and humorous trait often times in modern cinema, but in Tony Manero such obsession is painted in absolute darkness. Pablo Larraín pulls absolutely no punches in how he plays out the actions of a middle aged man named Raúl who is obsessed with Saturday Night Fever and will go to great lengths to do so. While it isn't Raúl's mania that makes him a psychopath, he clearly has all those characteristics already, but it makes sense that emulation would be the actions of an unstable individual. It certainly makes you consider rabid fandom in a new light. Alfredo Castro does a impressive job playing Raúl who constantly is peering with his hallow…
-
An ugly, ugly film that is nonetheless commendable for its originality and commitment.
Set in 1970s Chile during Pinochet's dictatorship, it follows a pathetic, unhinged 50 year-old man named Raul (who has an unhealthy obsession with John Travolta's free-spirited character from SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE) as he spirals more and more out of control.
It seems a bit too eager to court controversy with its scenes of blunt violence and graphic, ugly sexuality, but the film has a unique and forceful point-of-view, a cinematic quality, and an uncomfortable TAXI DRIVER-like allure.
-
Uncomfortable to watch, yet somehow engrossing. Same type of feeling I get when watching a Yorgos Lanthimos film.
-
A man very much in love with the film Saturday night fever also a bit of a killer when circumstances get to much for him, here we see him preparing for a travolta dance comp, while juggling life and his impulses. it runs nicely at times and the actor certainly gives it its all, nothing special going on but does get things across at times
-
"Tony Manero" nos presenta a uno de los protagonistas mas desagradables que he visto en una pelicula, en una historia tan simple que apenas puede llenar su duracion. En realidad es acerca de la obsesion de un hombre por el personaje de John Travolta en "Saturday Night Fever"; esta llega a tal grado que esta dispuesto a matar a cualquier persona que encuentre para obtener los recursos y montar su propio show al estilo de esa pelicula. Que patetico es este hombre, y que patetica es la pelicula que no nos dice nada acerca de su patologia.
Esta cinta, de origen chilena, ha sido elogiada por varios criticos, sin embargo no se porque. Es una cinta muy pobre en su concepto y ejecucion, y al final salimos con un mal sabor de boca por haber pasado hora y media con semejante individuo.