I wasn’t prepared for Argentinian humor Friday night when I watched Official Competition. I was just complacent and over tired, but mesmerized by Penelope Cruz looking great even in a frizzy red wig…how does one woman possess such beauty? That’s the main question. I have heard many film buffs say what a genius performance she did, well? I’m not so amazed at that, again more with her ability to channel beauty into acting.
The story is intricate and after 8 hours sleep, I did appreciate the humor more. Here’s why though besides some decent REM sleep. I assume that Argentinian humor is just super dark, wry and dry, hence us literal Americans (maybe I should speak for my dolt self) need a little tickling foreplay to get warmed up to the fun. Otherwise, we have to ponder for hours and then say, ‘oh, I get the humor now’, since the actors (Cruz, Antonio Banderas and Oscar Martinez, who is a big star overseas, but has never been in my Anglo radar) play it SO straight, that again, I was thrown for a loop.
Super smart movie people will love this film, but since the film mocks the ‘base’ audience who doesn’t understand film, aren’t they still being conceited as the arrogant people they are allegedly mocking? I mean if the joke is a rich guy makes a movie to make his name immortal, isn’t making a movie about a man making a movie also ostentatious and conceited? Perhaps I’m not such a dolt after all, but rather thinking of the lives that could have been changed with the fortune spent to make this uber dry film.
