In the Grayscale

Set in Santiago, Chile, In the Grayscale is an often tender drama about a good man going through changes that significantly alter his life and jeopardize some of his core relationships. Bruno (Francisco Celhay, who bears a strong resemblance to the young Paul Newman) is an architect commissioned to design an iconic new structure in his city. In the background, Bruno—always considered a perfect husband and father—has become estranged from his wife and can't do anything to make his young son feel more secure. When Bruno develops a romantic interest in gay tour guide Fer (Emilio Edwards), the situation escalates, with no one feeling as if they truly know who Bruno is anymore. Director Claudio Marcone peppers the story with long, quiet passages, extended moments that underscore the sense of isolation Bruno experiences—which is a sudden mystery even to himself. Ultimately, the story has less to do with Bruno's relationship with Fer than an overall sense of a life in top-to-bottom rearrangement. Recommended. (T. Keogh)