davidgarnes

(2013-05-14 22:25:56)

A moving story about the complexities of human relationships, set in a small Peruvian fishing village

This movie gathers impetus as it goes along, so that by the end you arecompletely caught up in its complex and very moving depiction of thetwists and turns of the human heart. The story exists on severallevels--love story; political/religious commentary; ghost story. Filmedin a seaside village in Peru, the movie has beautiful cinematography,and the music soundtrack is also evocative of a culture far removedfrom city life. The three principal actors are superb, especiallyCristian Mercado as the tormented husband/lover. The supporting playersare also outstanding, each contributing to the overall depiction of thetownspeople observing the drama that unfolds. I won't give the plotaway except to say that it exists on more than one level of reality.Highly recommended.

kimbistrups

(2013-05-14 12:20:50)

Hauntingly beautiful movie!

Contracorriente (Undertow) is simply a gem of beautifully shotpictures, perfectly cast actors, an extraordinarily well written scriptand masterful direction.I did not initially expect Contracorriente to be a movie that wouldhaunt me for days after watching it, as it seemed to be a perfectlystraight forward story judging from the text on the back of theDVD-case. I was even a bit worried that it might be clichГѓВ© or simplycheesy. It was not however. Not more than a few minutes into the movieI started to suspect that I might have grossly misjudged the nature ofthe film and I was happy to be proved wrong.The locations, the people, the acting, the language were all sobeautiful and the very delicate and slowly evolving story made for somuch more than simple entertainment. Especially the subtle hint ofpossibility in the ending left a very warm and hopeful feeling but themovie as a whole makes a very strong and lasting impression.I was very moved by this movie and the very strong statement that itmakes and a variety of the most beautiful and strong scenes have stayedin my thoughts for days on end for both the sad parts and the joyousmoments.I can only recommend that you watch it if you haven't already - and Iam looking forward to seeing it again soon myself and expect it to besomething that I will do more than once.

CГѓВ©sar Silvestre

(2013-05-13 05:10:01)

A masterclass in acting

There are lots of things that are not told to us in the beginning ormiddle of this movie. We do not know who are the characters, where theycame from or how they started their relationships. The truth is, we donot need to know that. What we need and by the end of the movie what wewant to acknowledge is that this is a movie about love (or differenttypes of love). A movie about grieve and it's most different ways ofbeing expressed. A movie about people and about the way they strugglethrough their lives to hide what they really are and what or who theyreally role. This is a movie about loss and pain and also about joy andhappiness. In the end, this a movie about being human.The script is remarkable and it runs away from the clichГѓВ©s and thepreconceived ideas you might take while you are walking in theprojection room. But even more remarkable are the 3 main characters andthe actors who portray them. Cristian Mercado delivers a masterclass inacting. By a comfortable mile, one of the best male acting performancesof the year. What is most admirable is the way Mercado can expressMiguel's painful grievance: the loss of his lover, the acceptance ofwhat he really his and the loss of his beloved wife and son - there areno hysteric portraits of loss. What you get to see is a outstandingperformance focused on the facial and physical expression. Alsofantastic the the performance by the Mexican actress Tatiana Astengo.Could this be one of the front runners for the Best Foreing Languagemovie of the year? No doubt about it.

pikwwong

(2013-05-12 13:28:20)

Did not realise this was a ghost story!

A truly memorable movie, beautiful shot with good acting I do feelmaybe it is real hard to encounter such devotion to one's loved one inour timesI especially appreciated the role Santiago the painter: he is such agood looking man and his unbridled and unchanging passion for his lovermoved me deeplyNo idea where the film was shot but the seascapes and the seasidecommunity locales are absolutely stunningHighly recommended movie indeedI sure hope more works will come from the director and the 2 actors

chris-chasely

(2013-05-11 06:42:16)

Amazing Movie!

Undertow is far from excellent - it is simply an amazing, well mademovie that one must watch. Set in the beautiful seaside Peruvian town,the movie tells a passionate love story between two men. The depthdepicted in this movie is powerful and extremely touching. Thecharacters portray reality that is rarely seen in movies. All threelead actors deliver magical performances. The direction andpicturization is well presented and enjoyable. From this movie, onetakes away the passion that was obviously present in making thiswonderful movie. Kudas to the actors, director, producer and all thecrew. A must see!

deborahzzzzz

(2013-05-10 22:49:13)

excellent

this is one of those films which is 'timeless' - filmed in a beautifullocation as fit for a beautiful film - a love between men - absolutelybrilliant all the way through & i cannot express the beauty in enoughwords - the acting is faultless & the love & emotions through out wereamazing & so real & beautifully portrayed the strength that each had toshow & bear was amazing - the values of both shone through & the waythat they handled them was courageous & so respectful in all wayspossible - this love made a man so strong in what he believed in - notjust in his relationship with Santiago but in his other relationshipwith his wife & his family & his friends - it made him so much stronger& he Miguel believed in himself so much more - this is one of the bestfilms portraying a love that can be so beautiful & just as important asa love between a woman & a man

penncare

(2013-05-06 15:32:08)

A must see!

This movie was simply awesome! I ended up seeing it twice at QFest(which is the LGBT film festival in Philadelphia). The movie was doneby a first time director. It blew my mind away and I was crying at howtouching it was. The performances were top notch by some very highcaliber actors/actresses. The director really recruited some amazingpeople as one was Peruvian, another Colombian and I think another leadwas Mexican. You can read others' reviews for a summary of the movie. Iwill simply say go see this as soon as you can. It won an award atSundance as well as two awards at QFest. When this film was announcedas a nominee, there was some major clapping. There are very few moviesI will give a 10 out of 10 to but it ranks up there with movies likeShelter, Bear City and the Diaries of Anne Lister. This movie is worthpaying full price because the entire movie from beginning to end isincredible. Wow! I know my praise of this movie sounds like I am partof the PR machine for this movie and I am trying to hype it up but ifyou read my past reviews, you know the types of movies I like and don'tlike. I really, really liked this movie and I think you will too!Enjoy.

Movie Critic

(2013-05-06 09:12:08)

Life for gays in homophobic Peruvian fishing village

Miguel (Cristian Mercado) is having a homosexual affair with a trulyhandsome painter Santiago (Tatiana Astengo). He refuses however to havethe affair go as far as Santiago wants (he is married) and the lattercommits suicide.Santiago's soul cannot rest until he has a proper burial and he comesback as a ghost to be with Miguel--no one but Miguel can see him.Miguel doesn't want the ghost to leave so ties his body to a rockunderwater. Once buried properly the ghost will leave.The homo-phobic small religious fishing community ostracizes Miguelwhen some nude drawings and paintings in Santiago's house reveal theaffair.My God life must be hell in a Peruvian fishing village for gaysalthough all the locals seemed eager to participate in a movie filmingabout it? I do think it is a good look at general life in the village alot of local non actors are used. The actor playing the gay artistAstengo is an Adonis and played the part well.The ending where the body is found and Miguel confesses all and burieshis lover is moving.My problem is I just don't care that much for the genre showing gayhate and I am gay! It is uncomfortable and brings back too many badmemories. This movie is compounded by showing too many shots ofpregnant wombs and other modern PC stuff I could do without.The ghost idea borders on the gimmicky but was done well. It is alsodepressing when barely into the movie the handsome gay good guy is deadfrom suicide.I wish they would make more movies where the gays beat the systeminstead of end up committing suicide or have an over sexual mother andother stereotypes that won't die.For the genre this gets about an 8. It is unique and interesting. Havethis director make a positive one with happy ending!!RECOMMEND

Sandro Santoli

(2013-05-01 03:50:04)

I'm Caught in the Undertow

I know a movie is excellent when the day after seeing it I still have apit in my stomach as I did after watching this one. I know there aregoing to be some great reviews written about this so I'm only going toadd to the momentum briefly without trying to find ways to get you towatch this one.I felt bad for nearly every character in this movie...not just forthose directly experiencing the effects of forbidden love but also forsociety observing it. Here, a seaside village in Peru questions its ownmoral code when a well-liked member of the community must decidewhether to place his love for another man before social acceptance.Superb acting, character evolution, simple but engaging plot, andexhausting emotion all converge in this touching story.

pdquick

(2013-05-01 01:39:42)

Remarkable--MUST SEE

This film was the "buzz film" at Frameline, the San Francisco LGBT filmfestival. It is now in very limited commercial release. I saw it forthe second time this week and it's as powerful on the second viewing asthe first. It's beautifully filmed in a stunningly picturesque Peruvianfishing village. It features tender and complex performances by theactors in the lead roles, and wonderful authentic performances bynative residents of the village location. The story delivers a powerfulstudy in internal conflict, grief, redemption, and the power of love.The director says that the idea for the story came from a screenwriting-class assignment to write a scene that happens in a kitchen.The kitchen scene is indeed pivotal to the story, but the moralintricacy of the tale surrounding that scene is testament to a creativegenius that you will want to hear more from. You will want to see thisfilm again, and you will want your friends to see it, because the worldneeds more filmmakers like this.

jotix100

(2013-04-30 06:25:06)

Riptide

The life of a small fishing village in Northern Peru is the setting forthis powerful drama which was shown recently on an international cablechannel. A love between two men takes center stage in this surprisingproduction which marks the film debut of Javier Fuentes-Leon, thecreator of this picture.As the story begins, we watch Miguel, a local fisherman, kisses hiswife Mariela's swollen stomach. Mariela is expecting any moment now.The idyllic moment is interrupted by a neighbor who comes to informMiguel of a death of a fellow fisherman. As the funeral procession goesthrough the sea front street toward one of the vessels, we see aphotographer taking pictures of the procession. The man is placed onboard Miguel's boat and the shrouded body is thrown into the water.Miguel has been leading a double life, we find out. He has beeninvolved in a torrid love affair with Santiago, the handsomephotographer. They hide their passion away from the eyes of thevillagers as they cannot even hint about the way they feel about eachother. Acting differently would be seen as a horrible sin among thesimple folk of the town. The men are clearly in love in spite of Miguelapparently happy home life with Mariela.There is a big mystery surrounding Santiago's presence in the town, aswell as his disappearance, which is not clearly known, but the secretbelongs to Miguel, who will never reveal it. That is the case, until acouple from the village decide to hold a tryst in Santiago's abandonedhouse. There, they discover paintings of a naked Miguel all over thewalls. The woman is instrumental in revealing a secret no one in towneven suspected, out of spite because Miguel never paid attention towhat she really wanted from him."Undertow" surprises for the sure way Javier Fuentes-Leon created inthis different kind of story. The unusual love between two men fromdifferent walks of life against such a background is too much for thesimple fisherman of the remote locale. Miguel, who does everything todeny his involvement to Mariela, does the only decent thing he can dowhen the fate of Santiago is known. The whole situation proves to betoo much for Mariela, who decides to leave town with her newly bornson, rather than stay behind and being the butt of all the gossip. Thefilm is done with a controlled dignity as Mr. Fuentes-Leon does notsensationalize the situation for shock, or erotic values.There are first rate performances from the three principals. CristianMercado's Miguel is excellent. He is torn between his family and hishonor as well as his standing in the community, and his blissfulmarried life with Mariela. Manolo Cardona, a handsome actor, is quiteeffective as the lover of Miguel. Tatiana Astengo, seen as Mariela,makes also an impression for her approach to the role of the deceivedwoman who had no clue about what was going on behind her back. The film is erotically charged because of the heat produced by Mr.Mercado and Mr. Cardona. The cinematographer, Mauricio Vidal capturesin vivid colors the picturesque seaside town and its environs inamazing ways to give the film a wonderful texture. Mr. Fuentes-Leonshows he is a talented man whose next work we eagerly await. To hiscredit the film is exquisitely developed without a hint of bad taste asit is never in one's face to exploit the sex between the lovers.

gradyharp

(2013-04-29 17:47:59)

A Brave New Film

Now and then a small quiet film surfaces without ballyhoo or even muchpress and finds its way before audiences who are deeply moved by a filmabout which few have even heard. Such is the case for UNDERTOW(CONTRACORRIENTE), a little film from Peru that is not only wellwritten and directed (Javier Fuentes-LeГѓВіn) and well acted by a fine andcredible group of actors, but one that also deals with story andinformation that few film dare to touch. The film has won many awardsat film festivals on the order of Sundance and GLAAD, but it has failedto make the public take notice in the theaters - probably because it isa Latin American male love story. According to the writer/director, the story 'takes place in a smallconservative seaside village in Peru. On the surface, all appears wellfor a fisherman and his devoted wife who are expecting their firstbaby. The hero is a hardworking and respected member of his community,which holds fast to rigid traditions. There is one wrinkle - he is alsodevoted to his male lover. A catastrophic accident does not erase thepresence of his lover, as the fisherman must now contend with theapparitions of his forbidden love and the gossip and disapprovingstares of his neighbors. And it may go without saying - his wife isn'ttoo pleased either.' Miguel (Cristian Mercado) is the little fisherman who seems to have itall - a loving wife Mariela (Tatiana Astengo), a solid group of friendsand family, and the incipient birth of his first child. But Miguel is acloseted gay man/bisexual who is in love with a painter/photographer,the handsome Santiago (Manolo Cardona) who seems content to maintain arelationship with Miguel in secret. But there is an accident in whichone of Miguel's young friends dies and Miguel is asked by the family toprepare the body for burial, carry the boy on a bamboo stretcher, offera eulogy and then take the body out to sea to bury it in the water - anold tradition in this small Peruvian fishing village that assures thatthe dead person's soul will find rest. Santiago takes photos of thefuneral procession and it is obvious that the townspeople gossip aboutthe painter - a man who paints pictures and is not married is suspectand homophobia rages. As Mariela gives birth to their son Miguelito,Miguel is torn between his devotion to his wife and son and his desirefor Santiago's physical presence. In a series of beautifully realizedlove scenes between the two men it is obvious that there is a struggleon the part of both Miguel and Santiago: they love each other but thatlove is forbidden. Santiago appears to Miguel one night and says thathe is dead, that Miguel is the sole person able to see Santiago'sghost. This allows Miguel and Santiago to be together in the village,as Santiago cannot be seen: they are able at last to love each other inthe open. But the village discovers that the missing Santiago's homecontained nude paintings of men - men who appear to be images ofMiguel. The village treats Miguel as an outcast, his wife is outragedand leaves, and Miguel feels he has lost everything. Santiago's familycome to claim the body and Miguel finally has the courage to be the manhe really is. The film ends with a deeply moving tradition upheld. Both Cristian Mercado and Manolo Cardona handle their difficult rolesbrilliantly: their physical chemistry is visceral and their dealingwith the Peruvian prejudice is poignant. But each of the actors isexcellent. The cinematography by Mauricio Vidal captures the flavor ofthe Peruvian seaside and the many underwater scenes are breathtaking.Selma Mutal Vermeulen provides the musical score that is the perfectbalance of folksongs and background music. But in the end it iswriter/director Javier Fuentes-LeГѓВіn who deserves the kudos for abrilliant film that took considerable courage to make. Hopefully wewill be seeing more of his work in the near future. Highly recommended. Grady Harp

rroberto18

(2013-04-26 21:38:47)

Undertow: Undeservedly Under The Radar

In early 2010, the first Peruvian film ever nominated for a ForeignLanguage Film Oscar -- "Milk Of Sorrow" (2009) -- got a U.S. 2-screenrelease that grossed all of 10K. Clearly UNDERTOW has no Peruviancoattails to ride in on. Despite Sundance kudos and buzz, it's alreadybeing ghettoized as a gay film. Yet it clearly is so much more.UNDERTOW doubly violates that genre's political correctness: the leadis both closeted and heroic while the captivating tale constantlyeschews white/urbane predictability. We watch two more curve ballsbeing thrown at us as well: next-world fantasy and 3rd world folklore.So this is definitely not "'Brokeback Mountain' meets 'Ghost'" asseveral critics have written it off in facile reviewer shorthand. ButUNDERTOW may well have the power to connect with portions of themainstream audiences for both of those films -- via word of mouth,curiosity-building press and guerrilla marketing. Our unexpectedattraction to a real-life subsistence-poor fishing village and itsclose-knit, tradition-bound "primitive" citizens are seamlessly woveninto the film's cast as well as fabric. Breath-taking cinematography, ascript illuminating characters rather than telescoping plot,understated yet powerful performances and a hypnotic world musicsoundtrack take UNDERTOW far beyond the shorelines of dry-dockedmovie-making. Many high-concept films have dealt with men forced tochoose between family and lovers. Others have pitted unlikely heroesagainst the mores of society. Nor is a quest to carry out the finalwishes of the dearly departed at all innovative. But UNDERTOW combinesthese themes in a way no writer- director has done before. First-timerJavier Fuentes-LeГѓВіn does so with fearless honesty andsublime-on-a-shoestring craft. No surprise then that it's this year'sForeign Language entry from Peru.

sarnela

(2013-04-26 04:04:59)

A poem of the egoism and narrow-mindedness of humans

You think that you've seen gay movies and this one is the next one in arow. Honestly?No gay feeling throughout the whole movie. No spicy thoughts, noscandal. You can cry a river and become more and more angry at thehuman narrow-mindedness. A masterpiece revealing everybody's obsessionwith the idea of purity, straightness and order. An order that has tobe simple - everything that is disturbing it has to be thrown behindthe board...A simple movie with a complex message... or a complex movie with asimple message. Choose by yourself.

Rinda DiLibda

(2013-04-20 21:03:41)

Truly a Masterpiece; a Piece of fine Cinematic Perfection; This movie is what the word "Perfect" is all about...

An extraordinary movie, a one I was fortunate enough to know and seewhile searching through tens of tasteless movies, this one captivatedme from the beginning. Its plot is original and distinctive and itdoesn't stop at that point; the acting is truthfully believable,realistic and extremely heartbreaking and the director's (JavierFuentes Leon) representation of the story which he has written is trulyflawless. Contracorrient (Undertow) tells the story of a man's love toanother man, a love which never ends by the death of one of them butrather sets their relationship into another level leading the one whoalways denied his true sexual being to finally accept himself and hislove to the one who died. I never found a time in this movie; where acharacter felt out of context, a dialogue which was not necessary or anacting which was monotonous and dull. Both Manolo Cardona as Santiagoand Christian Mercado as Miguel playing the lead characters, enrichedthe movie with their exceptional performances and their chemistry isundeniable, that it gets you feeling their love and their pain, theiryearning to each other that you can feel their love with their smiles,their eye contacts, their love making, their hugs and their words...even when they fight with each other it becomes an expressive way oftheir frustration of things, of their bond.Christian Mercado plays Miguel a fisherman who is married and expectinga son; living in a small somehow closed community and having a goodreputation either with their participation in the local church'sactivities or with his clean manners, fishing regularly with relativesand friends to provide food for all of them. We get to know of Santiagoalso, played by Manolo Cardona as a rich outsider and a painter whogets outcast-ed from everyone around because of his more open lifestyleor the fact that he is simply not one of them. Then we get to know ofMiguel having an affair with Santiago, who only stays there not for hispaintings as he claimed to everybody but to be close to Miguel. Miguelis deeply in love with Santiago but unlike the latter who is acceptingof his self and whom he loves, Miguel finds it difficult to do thesame, thus trying his best to keep their relationship hidden. Followinga short fight, Santiago goes swimming only to get swept by the powerfulcurrents and dies; a thing Miguel only knows of later when he gets avisit from Santiago in his own home, where he realizes that his wifecannot notice Santiago's presence anymore. It is then established thatnobody can see Santiago but Miguel, partially because Miguel keepsthinking of him but more of the fact that Santiago needs a properburial within the village customs and traditions and hopes Miguel willbe the one who would grant him his final wish. The problem is thatSantiago's body cannot be found, so Miguel states that he will try tohelp his dead lover and find his body, thus giving Santiago his finalrest. However, when Miguel does indeed find Santiago's body jammedbetween rocks, he ties it up with a rope and never tells Santiago aboutit.A couple of people gets to Santiago's deserted house at night only tofind a nude painting of Miguel by Santiago's bed. Then a rumor goes byas quickly and Miguel gets confronted by it which sets him looseclaiming he never spoke with that fag. This is a moment which clearlyshows Miguel's inner struggle with his own sexuality but the nextmoment is the more important one, a conversation with Santiago's ghosttelling him that he is not man enough to be a fag. Miguel's wife knowsof the gossip, which gets her into labor and Miguel's son is born,however shortly after-wards, especially when Miguel discovers thatSantiago's body has disappeared again, She would know the truth fromMiguel himself and thus leaves him with their baby son for a shortwhile. Miguel asks her to come back, which she does probably for thesake of their newly born son and at the same time Miguel, completelyheartbroken tells Santiago how he kept his body hidden only to keep himaround in his life, thus having Santiago asking Miguel to forget abouthim forever, never to call or search for him again.Miguel relationship with his wife begins to come back to normal eventhough Miguel does not seem to forget about Santiago. Then Miguel wouldknow that Santiago's body has finally been found, and after a shortnight stroll with his baby son, Miguel sees a candle Santiago boughtearlier to Miguel's wife, lit by Santiago himself on the sands of thebeach. Miguel then gets determined to bury Santiago according to thevillage's tradition and to Santiago's wishes, much to the objection ofhis wife and even when knowing that Santiago's family will be coming toreclaim his body. Miguel's insistence on the burial led to a permanentbreakup with his wife taking their son along with her, especially afterconfessing that he is still in love with Santiago. Miguel then meetsSantiago's mother and sister, sitting in Santiago's room filled withthe latter's paintings of Miguel and requesting a burial from hismother. At the final sad and emotional scene, Miguel finally gets tosee Santiago's face before carrying his body into the ocean, in frontof all of his relatives, neighbors and friends, in which many followsbehind including Santiago's mother and sister. Santiago's lifeless bodyis sent to its final resting place, into the ocean having a finaltearful embrace and a kiss from Santiago's ghost, as a final goodbye.

showtrmp

(2013-04-20 09:36:50)

We take care of his body that God may take care of his soul

Unforgettable, moody, and original (in a genre that has been flunkingat the last of those adjectives), this Peruvian offering is bothsensual and deeply moving, often at the same time. It takes a gimmickypremise and makes that premise seem the most natural way to tell thisparticular story.An ordinary fisherman in a Peruvian village (which gets most of itsliving from the sea) is contentedly married to a lovely woman andexpecting his first child (the first shot of the movie is of himresting his head on the mother's stomach, trying to hear the baby'sheartbeat). He has the usual gaggle of slightly overcompensating machofriends with whom he likes to hang out, drink, and play soccer. He alsohas a male lover, a painter/photographer from the mainland who neverseems part of any group and who is subjected to the usual provincialcold shoulder. The painter is a sophisticated modern artist plunkeddown in a primitive world. After a quarrel with the fisherman, thepainter drowns, but his spirit cannot truly die; he hangs around,visible only to the fisherman, trapped between worlds until his bodycan be found and subjected to the burial rites he scorned when he wasalive.As Miguel the fisherman, Cristian Mercado is just right; although hehas a taut physique from working, his looks are a little goofy and offenough to make his terror at not seeming "manly" credible. And ManoloCardona as Santiago the painter has the kind of face cameras pray for,with piercing blue eyes that could haunt any man (or woman) forever.Santiago is something of a wraith even before he dies; he drifts aboutthe fringes of society, snapping pictures and making periodic awkwardovertures to the locals (such as offering to buy drinks after afuneral) which are self-righteously rebuffed. He's only fully alivewhen with his lover; it's as if a dam broke inside him. And TatianaAstengo is so sensually easy and playful as the pregnant wife that themoments when she snaps and gives orders are unexpected and tonic. (Herhusband swears on Miguelito--the newborn baby--that he isn'thomosexual, her response--"Don't ever swear on him. Ever. Do youunderstand me?" leaves absolutely no doubt about it.) Director JavierFuentes-Leon wanders around this little town, letting us in on all thenooks and corners, and paints a full picture of a society severaldecades behind our own in its thinking. There's a gay joke told byMiguel's friends in a bar which was cut and is on the DVD extras; Iwish it had been retained, because it sums up the movie's theme--thatthese men can understand a man sexually desiring another man in an"emergency", but the thought of true love--i.e., tenderness--betweenmen is obscene to them. Santiago's death is initially rather a breakfor Miguel--he can be with his invisible lover and still live up to his"duty" as a husband and father. Yet Santiago, who was a dirty secretbefore, is an even more powerless one now, and he has to bear theadditional indignity of hearing himself scorned and denied by Miguel.It's hard to imagine a more perfect metaphor for the closet. The storycomes to an emotionally satisfying resolution which also seems like anew beginning--one where the possible outcomes are as limitless as thesea.

CHENG-HUNG JEN

(2013-04-18 06:57:12)

A story about love and forgiveness

I haven't seen such a touching gay movie since Brokeback Mountain. Themovie contains so many issues, yet it could still cover them all andtouch the deepest emotions in my heart. The depiction of each characteris so profound that you can't help feeling the way they experienced.Everyone is selfish when it comes to love, and so was Miguel. After hefound the way how his wife and Santiago could coexist, he decided notto salvage the body and let Santiago rest in peace. He wanted Santiagoto exist just for him, without the risk their relationship to bediscovered. But not soon after the rumor of the painting ran wild inthe village, his ideal pattern of coexistence vanished! Insubstitution, here comes the suspicion along with the despite from theso-called innocent village. Miguel's wife is just an ordinary woman whocouldn't accept the fact that her husband was screwing other man, butthe courage and tolerance she maintained is quite extraordinary. Loveis the only way to get through this kind of grief. It's true for Miguelfor that the loss of his lover and the courage to admit the rumor. Onthe other hand, it's also true for Miguel's wife who had to raise herchild under this circumstance, not to mention the pressure and gossipshe had to put up with.Masculinity is always a main concept in gay movies. Therefore, Miguelhad to struggle with his identification like most conservative gay did.In some way, Santiago is not just his lover, but also the desire offreedom which he had been longed for decades. When Miguel made up hismind to fulfill Santiago's last wish no matter what it costs, thedetermination and courage he showed really made me weep. No doubtthat's the moment he found his own freedom and became a true macho!Tragedy is when love no longer existed, so I would rather say thismovie is about love and forgiveness. For those who has been struggledfor their identification, this is a must see movie. Furthermore, forthose who be the reason some have to struggle for anything, this isdefinitely a movie you can' t miss!

briangnosis-537-38631

(2013-04-17 15:42:38)

A thought provoking gem

I seldom watch non English language films as I have dyslexia andsubtitles can be challenging. This film was so well constructed andacted that the subtleties of the human condition were expressed withoutthe need for understanding every word. It makes one question so muchabout convention, preconceptions and identity. The film contains somebeautiful cinematic shots as well as unobtrusive music. There is avisual and situational realism that draws one in.The concept of ritual to deal not only with the needs for closure bythe living but also the passage of a soul into rest was well handled .Also well handled are the concept of love and fear of loss andpotential selfish reactions as well as the ability of the human to riseabove such thoughts and feelings to the benefits of others, even at acost to oneself.The story was interesting and unusual. Should be watched by allthinking people.

Red-125

(2013-04-17 11:04:47)

Adultery and magical realism on the coast of Peru

"Contracorriente" (2009) is a Peruvian film shown with the title"Undertow" in the U.S. (In my opinion, "countercurrent," the literaltranslation of the Spanish word "contracorriente," would have made abetter title.) It's written and directed by Javier Fuentes-LeГѓВіn.Miguel (Cristian Mercado) is a handsome, well-liked fisherman who liveson the coast of Peru. (This isn't a film about the loneliness, poverty,and danger of a fisherman's life. Miguel's home is simple butcomfortable.) Miguel's wife, Mariela (Tatiana Astengo), is pregnant andexpecting their first child at any moment. The problem in Miguel'slife--and the basis of the plot--is that he is also in love with ahandsome man from the city--Santiago (Manolo Cardona).As the movie unfolds, it's becoming clearer to the townspeople thatMiguel has a double life. If he simply had a female lover, this wouldhave been cause for embarrassment. However, a male lover is a verydifferent matter in the traditional society in the region.Although I enjoyed the film, I was troubled by the implied message. Theemphasis of the movie is on the value and validity of Miguel's love forSantiago. What's not addressed is the fact that Miguel is beingunfaithful to his wonderful, loving, and very pregnant wife. Eventhough his love for Santiago is noble and pure, and even if thecommunity weren't so horrified by homosexuality, Miguel is stillengaging in adultery. Adultery isn't commendable in anysociety--progressive or traditional.This movie is physically beautiful. We saw it in a theater, and it willlose some of its grandeur on DVD. Still, it's an interesting,challenging film, and it's worth seeking out.

nug_martin

(2013-04-17 02:12:32)

Simply beautiful

This my first time ever writing a review on a film. I just have torecommend this movie to everyone. You will feel emotionally moved bythis movie. I can't believe I cried so much during the movie. I am aman who does not usually cry. This is one of the best love stories Ihave ever seen.Everything about this movie is just so good, especially the acting. Thelead actors chosen for the roles really made this story even morespecial, they have the chemistry. I am sorry, I just don't know whatelse to write. You just need to see it for yourself.Please please watch it when you have the chance.