Valentin
by Alejandro Agresti
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Carmen Maura, Jean Pierre Nohger, Julieta Carinali, Mex Urtizberea, Rodrigo NoyaDirector: Alejandro Agresti
Brand: Buena Vista Home Video
Writer: Alejandro Agresti
Producer: Laurens Geels
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: Spanish (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Original Language)
Format: NTSC, Subtitled, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 83 minutes
Published: 2002
DVD Release Date: 2012-01-06
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: LIONSGATE
Movie Reviews of Valentin
Movie Review: "It will get me to the moon"
Summary: 5 Stars
The charm that this heartwarming movie possesses is based on two factors, the outstanding screenplay by Agresti and the unbelievable performance of a small kid that makes his debut on the big screen, Rodrigo Noya. The film depicts a series of events in Valentin's life when he was eight years old, with the kid himself narrating these events. This characteristic provides the story with an unusual freshness and candor, with the plain language used by most kids being a salient feature of this production.
Valentin lives with his grandmother (Carmen Maura) in a modest house in a barrio of Buenos Aires. He is obsessed with being an astronaut and is already practicing holding his breath, walking in the absence of gravity and dressing up in the required attire; the scene in which he puts on his home made astronaut suit is enough to make this movie worth watching. The reasons for Valentin living with his grandmother are that his mother abandoned him and his father a while back and his father is too busy to take care of him, focusing on his work and girlfriends instead. Valentin is always hoping that his mother will come back to claim him though.
Lately, I have been really lucky when picking Argentinean movies to watch, and this one was even better than others that have left me completely satisfied. The only "flaw" I found with it has to do with the English subtitles. When I started watching the film in Spanish I noticed that the language used by Valentin was very characteristic of the Rio de la Plata and was curious as to how they managed to translate it. Therefore, I turned on the English subtitles to check on this aspect, finding out that, as I suspected, there was a lot lost in the translation. The reason why I mention this as a flaw in quotes is that some things are not possible to translate. The bottom line is that the movie is still perfectly enjoyable, but you will enjoy it a little more if you understand Spanish.
In relation to the actors, as I mentioned, Rodrigo Noya is absolutely perfect for playing the role of Valentin, and Carmen Maura shows why she is one of the most renowned Spanish actresses, delivering a high level performance. It is good to see Fabian Vena back on a movie, even though it is only for a couple of minutes. Vena plays the role of Bernardo, a forward-looking priest that has no fear of challenging the establishment. We can see this clearly in the scene in which he praises the life and mourns the death of Ernesto "Che" Guevara. This scene is very important, not only for mentioning one of the most important figures in Latin American history, but also because it helps understand the climate reigning at the end of the decade of the 60s in South America.
As if the movie was not good enough by itself, this DVD includes a very insightful interview with the writer, director and actor Alejandro Agresti. It is particularly interesting to learn the answer to questions like: what is the basis for the story, why did he decide to give the main role to Rodrigo Noya, and why did he choose 1969 as the year in which the story develops. I have no other words to praise this fantastic movie; I do know though that I will surely watch it a few more times in the near future.
Summary of Valentin
Acclaimed by critics and winner of numerous awards around the globe, Valentin is an enchanting view of the world as it revolves around one delightfully precocious 8-year-old boy! With a set of absentee parents and a home life he considers a mess at best, Valentin is an extraordinarily charming and imaginative youngster whose greatest dream is to be just an ordinary kid with a real family of his own. As he schemes to fix the problems in his own life, his dogged determination and indelible spirit will bring joy, wisdom - and even romance - into the lives of the grown-ups around him! Filled with wit, humor and emotion - here's your chance to see why audiences everywhere have fallen in love with Valentin!This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.
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