'The Angels' Share', whiskey redemption

The Angels' Share

Kind of a shocker, here comes what can easily qualifies as the most comedic and upbeat movie in Ken Loach's filmography (teaming up again with screenwriter Paul Laverty). 'The Angels' Share' is a warmth, mostly gentle (with a couple of punches here and there punctuating the harsh social background of the fun) and good-natured comedy, even careless at times for such a serious duo. And despite it certainly won't rank among the most memorable works of the maestro's career, it's hard not to love this joyful tale of redemption... and whiskey.

Set in Scotland (careful with the accents) Loach points the viewer out to a bunch of outcasts (drunks, ruffians, pickpocketers) and their summary of minor (or not so) felonies, recited by a judge. Then he focuses the camera in the story of Robbie (stunning performance by previously unknown actor Paul Brannigan) who is in the verge of confronting a most-demanding crossroad in his life. He has a prison record, as well as a violent and drug-addiction past. He has been sentenced to community services, in what it looks like the very last chance to reintegrate into society. And he is more than willing to do so, because he is also about to become a father. He is determined to reform himself and behave responsible, but like a local, 'scoundrel' version of those sub-genre mafia movies in which the hero can really put away his past, it seems all odds are against Robbie.

Loach plays tricks with us at first. Yeah, there are slices of comedy in the secondary characters, a bunch of hilarious roughnecks, with whom Robbie is paying his dues with society. But the scenes are packed with our leading character's constant attempt to avoid the violence (or death) that threatens him (from the Clancy's, the family he got into the serious "incident" that ended at court, seeking for vengeance, as well as the family of his girlfriend, wanting him to leave the town and disappear from her life), while the possibilities of finding a job seems the tiniest. There's even a brutal scene when Robbie has to face the family and the victim of his most despicable moment as a human being. Everything looks like a Loach-by-the-numbers movie with some oddballs in the form of risible, entirely diverting characters. But this time, the veteran director wants to believe in redemption and second chances as well as the kindness of mankind. Even if its in an almost surreal way... 

Because it's true, you really have to make several concessions, some more than remarkable, with the plot development to keep it going once 'The Angels' Share' becomes a very unusual and amusing kind-of-thriller, with Robbie discovering he has a gift (better said, a nose) for whiskey and a bizarre opportunity to make some money, maybe even a path to start from zero a new, peaceful life, appears. But by then, the charm of characters, the genuine quality of their performances, the awkward friendship among the leading quartet has won you completely. The adventure involving an almost-mythical malt, a glimpse of jet-set (an obvious punch to highest classes willing to waste their money in stupid competitions for status) and ambitious, pretty obscure collector is blatantly flat from a realistic standpoint of view. But we, as viewers, couldn't care less. Robbie, Albert, Rhino and Mo HAVE to make it.  

Because even in its lightweight hour, Ken Loach's movies have something not many directors have. It's the heart, man. Shown in the arresting character of Harry (John Henshaw), the misfits minder, relentless to help and care for them. Willing to give them a chance. Even it that chance has the form (what a simple, perfect, moving final scene) of a bottle of whisky. It's the heart. For the real, common people. Thank you, again, Ken.

SCORE: 6,75/10

"Even the Rain", 500 years of imperialism in Latin America

Even the Rain (También la Lluvia, Spanish original title)
I was a bit reluctant to watch this film. Its topic and the (sadly justified) prejudice about Spanish cinema were strong arguments against. But “Even the Rain” is a very welcomed exception, revealing itself as a noteworthy and brave attempt of mixing a film-inside-the-film story with social reality, in the form of a revolt in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Not an easy combination, but despite some issues, the movie is solid during all its length.

The main plotline is a Spanish film crew that arrives to Bolivia in order to shoot a new take, denouncing the sins (why don't we call it genocide?) of Christopher Columbus and Spanish imperialism after his discovery of the New World looking for gold. That's the approach that Sebastian (performed by Gael García Bernal) the director, wants to give to his epic super-production (despite low-cost being located in Bolivia), with the help of producer's Costa (Luis Tosar), responsible of the money. But while they are preparing their ambitious shooting, contemporary South American politics appear, in the form of a revolt (based on the real water wars the country suffered in 2000) that directly affects their project.

Merging the two plots is a risky move that filmmaker Icíar Bollaín achieves, for the majority of the movie, with remarkable grace. Sure, there's no subtlety at all when we are exposed to see the parallels between the oppression and its forms hundreds of years ago (the movie the cast is shooting) by the imperialist Spaniards, and the ones regarding the local government plans to privatize the city’s water supply. That obviousness undermines the amazing potential of "Even the Rain". But the attempt is brave and other intriguing questions regarding art (cinema in this case), its value, meaning and costs appears.

All this conceptual and meta-cinema story could be on the verge of being a failure if the characters weren't credible. And despite Paul Laverty's (always linked to Ken Loach) doesn't really develop what could have been a very powerful character in the suffering director Sebastian (García Bernal) and the cliché looms with the drunken star (Karra Elejalde) is all saved by Luis Tosar, who plays Costa with an amazing consistency and disarming endurance (proving again he's the best Spanish actor alive) and Juan Carlos Aduviri, who plays Daniel, the rebel leader against the conquering Spaniards in the film-within-the-film, and one of the leaders of the revolt against the government that wants to privatize water's supply. The moments where the two are on screen are the real highlights of "Even the Rain".

I wonder if that's what really what Bollaín and Laverty's wanted to do, but to me, what carries the heart of "Even the Rain" is the personal, moral conflict of Costa. His evolution, and how he sees and growingly understand Daniel is a stronger, more honest and striking message than the schematic political issues raised and its parallels with the times of Columbus. Anyway, the result is a solid film that invites to a thought-provoking discussion about the sort of world we are living in. A world that, like the historian and activist Howard Zinn, to whom the movie is dedicated, brilliantly says in his must-read book "A People's History of the United States", maybe hasn't evolved that much from the 15-16th century.

SCORE: 7/10