No somos animales (2013) Reviews

• An interesting experience

  alditohux2017-08-23

  That's why I give it a 10 from Uruguay. As a normal movie it probably would have deserve only a 6 or 7. But this is another kind of "thing". Personally made me feel close to the characters, as never a movie made me feel before. I could call it an ODE to friendship. The "thing" never tried to manipulate me, from the start shows that taste of parody, makes you part of a crazy party, full of contradictions, drinks,different points of view, and space for personal thoughts... Anyway, Cusack shows his best, or a my say himself after so many forgettable films. I wish it could be a serial, with those friends saying what come to their minds. After watching the last Argentine blockbusters designed to be that, like The Clan etc., or the "artistic movies", that are film school pastiches of old classics, overall french, No Somos Animales got my heart. Makes me believe that cinema could be something different that manipulation and money, something more simple, and participatory.

• Da Da Homemovie

  manuelraggionei2017-08-24

  Warm little movie. A collage of digressions and partial thoughts, no apt for who is looking to be caught in a melodrama. To see great actors playing with such a freedom, makes me think on the cynical and shallow part of this art form. As soon we have the chance to liberate our mind, we dream, and snore. As soon we seat front of the TV, we are forced to dream the dreams others, sometimes just money makers… This movie have much of a dream, but is enough imperfect, rough, and sometimes nonsensical, that you can hear your own mind without feeling being used.

• Interesting but not interesting enough

  mattscandale2018-12-16

  Even the makers of Seinfeld famously realized that a "show about nothing" had to have a plot, no matter how absurdly trivial that plot may be. The makers of No Somos Animales boldly ignored that rule, and the result is like a car without wheels. The car may look good - but it goes nowhere, This film comes across like a jumbled assortment of pieces from a reality TV episode - but thankfully without any screaming. We see John Cusack and friends eat, drink, and natter in luxury in Buenos Aires. They often wear Bono-style sunshades. Some parts are filmed in black and white. Sometimes there is American folk music in the background. Al Pacino implies at one point in the movie that a good art film doesn't need much planned dialogue - just genuine emotion felt by the actors. And while that is true, this film unfortunately lacked that genuine emotion - or failed to capture it. The bottom line is that we see a bunch of rich brats preening self-indulgently on camera and it's not particularly appealing or memorable. Jackson Pollock threw random splotches of paint at a canvas and called it art. But that doesn't mean we have to believe that it's somehow brilliant. There's nothing brilliant about this film, unfortunately.

• Existential Movie of The Year

  lisalowell-178222017-08-27

  Pacino's character was right in this film. It's lais·sez-faire approach makes it poignant, up close and real and makes modern feel modern all over again. It's nice to see American actors getting to be like in European movies, talking back about American politics like that, without being lazy-cynical or nihilistic, just saying what is, and keeping it playful-real. Friendly, like it's supposed to be, even though all the darkest themes are on the roster. This is the dialogue America needs to be having. I loved all the songs too. They sport classic pop/rock undertones, with some of Hipp's Philly cheese steak grease warps in just the right places. Lyrics! Melody! I feel like I got to hang with the boys on this one, and watch them play at life, however daunting the playground.

• A punch in the nose to the false altruists.

  leidsewallen2017-08-22

  I'm Argentine, so do not expect good English from me. But for US- AR relations and revisions looking for the true, Agresti's movie is without any doubt a milestone. He laugh about the problems that we ourselves create and keep creating in order to be good clowns, and keep using in order to give pity when things go wrong. For instance, the name of the first who tried to kill this unique, humorous work calling it here "A Miss" is Emiliano Basile, an Argentine mediocre critic, who sign as as being North American, and use the US flag in his comment… Woow!... Contrary to that, Agresti did a face to face between both cultures, showing himself in the film, instead of hiding like that pathetic moron. He performs Mr. Pesto, a wannabe director who admits that doesn't know what cinema is… "The work", i'm not sure to call it "A Film", is like a handkerchief that unfolds, many times looking if still is there a spot free of crap in this society. The subtle investigation between lines is calling to watch it many times. I saw it 4 so far, and I keep discovering juxtapositions between images and discourse that thrills me. Also I admire the participation of actors like JK and Pacino, working for no money, much more preoccupied to embrace the experimental trip of questioning, of which some blind local critics, like that coward ignorant pretending being from the US, are just envious. Once Again Agresti tries to show the Platonic Cavern that became our cultural parody. But like in any Platonic Cavern, Agresti goes back to his country and the ones who are on chains keep killing him, and denigrating him cowardly. They have an agenda with Agresti, and he knows that, but still produces some of the most interesting movies, and books on the Pampas. The most genuine and provocative reflections, without any concern about box office or any kind of conformism. Bravo!