An unusual debut film by Julio Torres who appears on Saturday Night Live and directs, writes and stars in this work. He plays Alejandro Martinez, an El Salvadorean seeking a work visa in the US and to be employed as a toy designer.
His mother (Catalina Saavedra) brought him up creating an imaginary world with models and toys and now he feels he can contribute to a company in the US. Sadly, he cannot get a job like this and is employed by a cryogenics firm until they sack him. Through this he meets an extraordinary woman, the partner of an artist, Bobby Ascencio (RZA) who has frozen himself for posterity.
She is Elizabeth, played with gusto by the great Tilda Swinton, with a fiery red hairstyle and a combative approach to everyone. No sooner does she enter a restaurant than she’s off-side with the staff. Elizabeth needs help to locate Bobby’s works and then curate a show and she sees Alejandro as a support in this and Alejandro thinks she could help him with sponsoring his visa application.
The film shows the bumbling push-me pull-me relationship between them as they try to achieve their goals with comments on art, creativity, the meaning of life and the immigration process all mixed in together. It has its own individual touch and some moments of humour. Swinton is a delight in a role we are not accustomed to from her.
Torres is more of an acquired taste. He is credible as a sort of lost nerd but his individual scenes lack oomph. A little editing could have been good. Wrapping up the whole show is a rather nice narration from Isabella Rossellini.
A pleasant enough film with some wacky moments (Craigslist?)
but apart from Swinton it lacked something.
3 stars
passionfilm 