Movie Review: Problemista

 

Michael’s Movie Grade: C

A very uneven dramedy but with moments of greatness. 

It is obvious that this is a very personal film for director/writer/star Julio Torres. Much of the movie is based off of his own experiences immigrating to the U.S. It is this personal feel that provides the movie with its best moments. There are some very emotionally effective moments as we watch the main character trying to survive despite so much being stacked against him. There was even one scene that I found very hard to watch because I cared about him and didn’t want to see him have to go through this. This movie has many surreal images but one stands out as kind of brilliant. This has our hero finding his way through a maze of rooms that seems impossible. This is such a cinematic and intelligent way to show the ridiculousness of the red tape he must cut though. I truly wish the rest of the film could have been as great as this moment.  Even during many of the moments that really don’t work are kept from ruining this film because you can tell this is from a filmmaker who cares deeply about the story he is telling. Even the messiest movies are often worth watching if they have this passion. 

What also works in this movie is the relationship between our main character and his hopefully sponsor. At first these characters seem to have nothing in common (his sponsor can be incredibly unlikable) but you truly believe the relationship that grows between them, and you can see how they truly get each other. The great chemistry between Julio Torres and Tilda Swinton doesn't hurt at all. 

The main problem with this film is that for a movie that is just as much a drama as it is a comedy, it is for the most part not funny. It gets worse when some of the least funny comedic moments sadly become running jokes. Our main character’s depressing ideas for children’s toys or his sponsor’s rants at everyone she comes in contact with where not funny in the first place and they become even less funny each time they are repeated. This film also will mistake being weird or surreal for being funny, but they are simply not the same thing. The craigslist scenes were simply painful to sit through. They only thing that really made me laugh here was Isabella Rossellini's narration, which was actually often really funny. 

This movie also suffers from bland and forgettable side characters and the more surreal elements not always being well incorporated into the film.  

This movie is very messy at times, but there is enough that really worked that I am glad I watched it.